Milwaukee Brewers: Position-by-Position Matchups With The Dodgers
![MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 05: (L-R) Ryan Braun #8, Lorenzo Cain #6, and Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their 4-0 win in Game Two of the National League Division Series over the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park on October 5, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Freviewingthebrew-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2018-2F10-2F1046268894-850x560-3c2c7e5d47b28538f2f92e564f721c2c.jpg)
![DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 07: Erik Kratz #15 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates near teammate Curtis Granderson #28 after scoring on a wild pitch by Scott Oberg #45 who reacts on home plate putting the Brewers up 4-0 in the sixth inning of Game Three of the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on October 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/w_480/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Freviewingthebrew-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1047250560-03f20c81cc3f10dabaf6f582e2faeece.jpg)
The Milwaukee Brewers will be taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. How do the teams stack up at each individual position?
The Milwaukee Brewers have a very interesting matchup on tap for the NLCS. This is due in part to how different the two teams are on the field and in terms of front-office philosophies. How will this polarity translate onto the field in the upcoming series? Let’s try to figure that out by going position-by-position for the two teams, starting behind the plate.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Catcher
The Brewers have relied on the catching tandem of Manny Pina and NLDS surprise Erik Kratz. The two certainly were serviceable behind the dish, with Pina throwing out 41 percent of would-be base stealers and Kratz getting praised for his pitch-framing. They were also passable offensively, posting a .702 OPS and a .634 OPS, respectively.
As great of a story as Kratz was, the Dodgers’ primary catcher is simply better than both of them. Yasmani Grandal was second among catchers in WAR with 3.6. His defense is suspect, but his .815 OPS this season more than makes up for it. For this spot, chalk one up for the Dodgers.
Advantage: Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: First Base
Milwaukee found an absolute diamond in the rough with Jesus Aguilar. He barely made the Opening Day roster, but he responded by producing an .890 OPS with 35 home runs and 108 RBI. This allowed him to garner his first All-Star selection, and although he scuffled a bit later in the season, he still is a major part of the Brewers’ lineup.
As things stand now, the Dodgers utilize a platoon of Max Muncy and former Cardinal (and postseason hero) David Freese. This is certainly a daunting combo given how well they each hit opposite-handed pitching. Muncy is also a great story, producing a .973 OPS and a 4.2 WAR. This is a tough debate, especially given how well Freese has played since joining the Dodgers. Overall, I like Aguilar since he has emerged as an everyday player, but the combo of Muncy and Freese is just a bit more than Aguilar can offer on his own.
Advantage: Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Second Base
After the trade deadline, Travis Shaw was expected to get more starts at second base. As it turned out, he now appears to be the team’s primary second baseman, with Jonathan Schoop and Hernan Perez swiping a start from time to time. Shaw is quietly a very productive part of Milwaukee’s lineup, producing an .825 OPS with 32 homers and 86 RBI. He hasn’t been great defensively since the switch, but he hasn’t been bad, either. The Brewers can accept average defensive ability if it means keeping his stellar bat in the lineup.
The Dodgers rely on Enrique Hernandez and trade-deadline acquisition Brian Dozier to cover the keystone. Like what happened with the Brewers and Schoop, Dozier hasn’t been great for LA. He’s posted just a .650 OPS since joining the team. As a result, Hernandez gets most of the starts at second. The former utility man actually bashed 21 homers this season, but he hasn’t been great defensively on the infield. Without a defensive advantage, the debate is settled with offense, and Shaw is the clear winner in that category here.
Advantage: Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Third Base
Shaw was started the season as the starting third baseman, but the addition of Mike Moustakas at the trade deadline shook things up on that front. He held his own at the plate with the Brew Crew, producing a .767 OPS with eight homers and 33 RBI in the final two months. He also killed it in the NLDS, posting a .916 OPS in the three games.
For Los Angeles, Justin Turner is the rebuttal. After missing a chunk of the season due to injury, he produced a .924 OPS and followed it up with a .929 OPS in the NLDS. He also grades out as a decent fielder at third base, certainly better than Moustakas did during his time in Milwaukee. As good of an addition Moustakas was for Milwaukee, Turner is the winner in this category.
Advantage: Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Shortstop
Shortstop was a position of turmoil for Milwaukee this season, but at the end of the season, Orlando Arcia reclaimed the spot for his own, with Hernan Perez picking up starts against lefties. Arcia produced a .733 OPS in the month of September and went 2-for-8 with a homer in the NLDS. Perez holds a .783 OPS against lefties this season, and he tallied a pair of doubles in the NLDS to help the Brewers to a sweep.
However, it’s hard to compete with Dodger shortstop Manny Machado. He’s not a good defensive shortstop, but he holds a strong .905 OPS on the season with 37 homers, 107 RBI and 14 steals to boot. Arcia will be a very good player, but he’s not Manny Machado (yet).
Advantage: Dodgers
![MILWAUKEE, WI – OCTOBER 05: (L-R) Ryan Braun #8, Lorenzo Cain #6, and Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers meet in the outfield during a pitching change in the seventh inning of Game Two of the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park on October 5, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/w_480/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Freviewingthebrew-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1046239458-031eeb2d5a990d3369a58c66ee230483.jpg)
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Left Field
He’s certainly not the same player he was when the Brewers last made the playoffs, but Ryan Braun is still a major part of the lineup. A late-season surge helped his OPS reach .782, and he produced double-digit home runs (20) and steals (11). He also added five hits and a stolen base during the NLDS. Additionally, Braun plays a sneaky good left field, with above-average marks in both fielding percentage and defensive runs saved among left fielders.
For the Dodgers, it’s another platoon situation. Joc Pederson frequently starts against righties, while Chris Taylor mans left field against southpaws. Pederson quietly had a solid season, posting an .843 OPS with 25 home runs and 56 RBI. Taylor also found success this season as he bounced around from second base to shortstop to the outfield, posting a .775 OPS with 17 home runs and nine steals. They might not have the postseason experience Braun has, but it’s hard not to give the left field battle to Pederson and Taylor.
Advantage: Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Center Field
This is a very intriguing matchup across the board. Lorenzo Cain was a major offseason acquisition for Milwaukee, and he paid off by getting on base nearly 40 percent of the time and swiping 30 bases. He also was one of the best defensive center fielders across all of baseball.
The Dodgers counter with young star Cody Bellinger. He certainly offers more power than Cain (25 homers, 28 doubles) and drove in more runs as well. However, his outfield defense is nowhere near as good as Cain’s, and his offensive upside certainly doesn’t overcome the deficit. Another point for Milwaukee!
Advantage: Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Right Field
We’ve investigated both sides of the argument for each position so far, but it’s no contest in right field. Christian Yelich is the National League MVP. No combination of Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp can outperform him.
Advantage: Brewers
![DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 07: Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches in the ninth inning of Game Three of the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on October 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/w_480/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Freviewingthebrew-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1047272670-456a91406975a4e6537274c408132b44.jpg)
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Starting Pitchers
The Brewers starting pitching has been the talk of the town all season, and not for the best reasons. Jhoulys Chacin and his 3.50 ERA have been solid for Milwaukee, and Wade Miley‘s surprisingly good season has also been very helpful. Even Gio Gonzalez has done well since joining the team.
However, none of them can compare to the Dodgers’ rotation. Clayton Kershaw hasn’t even been on his best game this season due to injuries and he has better numbers than many of the Brewers’ starters. Hyun-Jin Ryu broke out with a 1.97 ERA and a stellar scoreless start in Game 1 of the NLDS. Walker Buehler is an up-and-coming star for LA. Alex Wood, Rich Hill, Ross Stripling, Kenta Maeda…honestly, the Brewers would improve their rotation by adding literally any of these arms. Some of them even moved into relief at the end of the season just so they could all get innings. This one definitely goes to Los Angeles.
Advantage: Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Relief Pitchers
Here is where the Brewers thrive. Milwaukee’s bullpen is one of the best in baseball, featuring All-Stars like Josh Hader and Jeremy Jeffress, as well as trade deadline acquisitions like Joakim Soria. Even pitchers like Corbin Burnes, Corey Knebel, Brandon Woodruff and Xavier Cedeno (who didn’t even make the NLDS roster!) have given the Brewers numerous stellar innings down the stretch.
The Dodgers’ bullpen isn’t bad by any means, though. The anchor is closer Kenley Jansen, although he’s struggled this season with decreased velocity and health issues. Ryan Madson, Scott Alexander, Josh Fields, Pedro Baez and Dylan Floro have contributed quality innings as well. Even at their best, however, there’s no bullpen in all of baseball that can match up with that of the Brewers.
Advantage: Brewers
Based solely off this, the Dodgers have a slightly better team. However, they rely much more on platoons than the Brewers, adding a bit of a wrinkle to the comparisons. The Brewers’ bench consists of players with very specific roles coming off the bench, which can be viewed as both a positive and as a negative when compared with Los Angeles.
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Additionally, one can argue that bullpens become more important in the postseason, meaning that Milwaukee’s win in that category looms larger than LA’s victory in the rotation. There’s one thing everyone can agree on, however: this is going to be an excellent series.