5 overlooked performances from Brewers' NLCS sweep of Dodgers

Jake Bauers rightfully earned the series MVP award for his outstanding individual performance in the Milwaukee Brewers’ dominant sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 NLCS. Bauers delivered several clutch moments, including a 12-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk in Game 2 and an 11-pitch at-bat that culminated in a go-ahead home run in Game 3. He also contributed six RBI, while playing clean defense at first base.

That said, while Bauers was absolutely deserving of the MVP honor, several other Brewers delivered standout performances that deserve recognition as well. Reliever Aaron Ashby was one of the strongest contenders for the MVP behind Bauers, after posting 6.2 scoreless innings and recording two saves, one of which was a three-inning save in Game 4. Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, David Hamilton, and JoJo Romero also made valuable contributions to the Brewers' their first pennant since 1982, and are therefore worthy of recognition as well.

5 overlooked performances from the Milwaukee Brewers' sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 NLCS

1. LHP Aaron Ashby

Ashby pitched the most innings (6.2) of any Brewers pitcher in the NLCS, and gave up just two hits and one walk. The two hits he gave up were extra-base knocks in Game 4, and resulted in the tying run reaching third base with just one out in consecutive innings, but both times Ashby managed to keep the Dodgers off the scoreboard and preserve his perfect 0.00 postseason ERA.

Ashby also made MLB history, as he joined Madison Bumgarner and Lance McCullers as the only other pitchers this century to have a three- or more inning save during a series-clinching game. His performance made him a strong contender for the NLCS MVP award, but regardless of him ultimately missing out on the hardware, his contributions this series will not be forgotten.

2. CF Garrett Mitchell

With two big swings, Garrett Mitchell played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the NLCS. In Game 3, he followed Bauers’ go-ahead, two-run homer with a solo shot of his own off Blake Snell. The back-to-back blasts made Bauers and Mitchell just the third duo in Brewers franchise history to accomplish the feat, joining Bauers and Sal Frelick in 2024 and Orlando Arcia and Keon Broxton in 2018. Even more incredibly, Bauers and Mitchell are just the third pair of left-handed hitters to go back-to-back off a southpaw in the playoffs, joining Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, who accomplished the feat, incredibly, earlier this year, and Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, who went back-to-back off southpaw Bill Sherdel back in the 1928 postseason. Anytime your name appears on a list with Ruth and Gehrig, you know you've accomplished something incredible.

Mitchell followed up his Game 3 heroics with an even more clutch homer in Game 4. The Brewers' center fielder launched a go-ahead solo home run off tough lefty reliever Tanner Scott in the sixth inning. The blast marked his second homer off a left-handed pitcher in as many days, which matched Mitchell's previous career home run total against southpaws. Had Mitchell not delivered in these instances, the series may have looked a lot different.

3. 3B David Hamilton

With Joey Ortiz struggling at the plate and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting Game 2 for the Dodgers, manager Pat Murphy penned David Hamilton into the No. 9 spot in the lineup. Hamilton made the most of the opportunity, scoring three runs, stealing two bases, and collecting two hits. However, he injured his back when Freddie Freeman stumbled over him while chasing a ball that had gotten past him on a throw over from first base.

A sore back and the presence of southpaw Blake Snell on the bump for the Dodgers, sidelined Hamilton for Game 3, but he returned for the series finale and delivered another impressive performance. Going 2-for-4 with a stolen base, Hamilton drove in a run with each of his hits. His RBI-single in the fifth inning helped cut the Brewers’ deficit to one, and he added an insurance run in the ninth with a solo home run off 2x Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz. Hamilton finished the series with five runs scored, four hits, and three stolen bases.

4. SS Cooper Pratt

During the NLCS, Cooper Pratt recorded a pair of multi-hit performance with two hits in Game 2 and three in Game 3. Although he didn’t drive in any runs, Pratt stole a base and consistently helped keep the Brewers’ lineup moving whenever his spot in the batting order came up.

Defensively, Pratt tightened things up, committing no errors throughout the NLCS after uncharacteristically poor defense in the NLDS. He helped turn three double plays in Game 1 and came up with a crucial play in the final inning of Game 4, making an impressive backhanded stop on a 110-mph rocket off the bat of Tommy Edman that carried a .590 expected batting average. Between Pratt's consistent production at the plate and steady glove in the field, the rookie shortstop played an important role in helping Milwaukee clinch the National League pennant.

5. LHP JoJo Romero

Outside of Ashby, perhaps no Brewers reliever looked sharper in the NLCS than JoJo Romero. Despite throwing just three innings, the left-hander struck out five batters, including Shohei Ohtani twice and Freddie Freeman once. Romero consistently worked the edges of the strike zone, as demonstrated by the final strike in the at-bat against Ohtani shown below.

Romero’s ability to put up zeros throughout the three innings he pitched was huge. Entering the season, many would have expected Jared Koenig or Angel Zerpa to fill the role Romero is in now, but the left-hander has shown why the Brewers went out and acquired him at the trade deadline.

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