The Los Angeles Dodgers, two-time defending World Series champions, trail the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 in the National League Championship Series. Only one team in MLB history has overcome a 3-0 postseason deficit — the 2004 Boston Red Sox, helped by Dave Roberts’ famous steal — underscoring the magnitude of the task facing L.A.
ESPN analyst Bradford Doolittle said he cannot envision the Dodgers returning to Milwaukee, adding that Los Angeles might avoid a sweep but appeared dejected late in Game 3. Doolittle described the end as near and emphasized that the Brewers have been the dominant club in this matchup, according to ESPN.
David Schoenfield of ESPN pointed to the Brewers’ youth and athleticism, noting their range in the outfield, aggressive baserunning and the ability to grind out long at-bats that produce big swings. Schoenfield contrasted that with a Dodgers roster he described as looking older and suggested Los Angeles might lack the same urgency after winning recent championships, according to ESPN.
Alden Gonzalez of ESPN said he was among the two analysts who did not pick the Brewers before the series and called the 3-0 deficit surprising. Gonzalez noted that last year the Dodgers swept Milwaukee in the NLCS, outscoring them 15-4, and that L.A. had planned to deploy four aces — Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow — which was expected to give a starting-pitching edge.
Gonzalez also highlighted the Dodgers’ offensive struggles with runners on base. He pointed out that Los Angeles was 0-for in scoring the leadoff man in three of the first five innings of Game 3 and that Will Smith’s two-run double in the sixth was the lone notable blow. The Dodgers are batting .146 with men on base in the series, 147 points lower than the Brewers, and have produced a .572 OPS in the postseason so far — 240th among 246 teams that have played at least seven postseason games, according to ESPN.
ESPN’s coverage noted that most of its LCS predictions favored Milwaukee — 13 of 15 picks — though many analysts expected a longer series. With the Brewers described as the best team in baseball during the season and through the playoffs, the Dodgers face a steep climb to extend the series and reach another start for Yamamoto, according to ESPN.
