Brewers favor experience in naming Dustin May NLDS Game 3 starter

Who would start Game 3 of a postseason series was a frequent topic of debate among Milwaukee Brewers fans throughout the 2026 season. During the first half of the season, the question was who would follow Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison in the Brewers' postseason rotation, with most believing an external addition ahead of the midseason trade deadline was the answer. However, after Logan Henderson's second-half surge and Harrison's second-half struggles, the question became who would follow Miz and Henderson in Game 3.

That second question persisted until this afternoon -- two days before Game 3 of the National League Division Series. As expected, Miz started Game 1, and Henderson is set to start Game 2 in a few hours. However, remaining up for debate was who would start Game 3 in San Diego on Tuesday night. Trade deadline acquisition Dustin May, who the Brewers traded for in part due to his postseason experience, and rookie southpaw Robert Gasser, who is in his third MLB season but maintains his rookie status due to a lack of service time, were the leading candidates.

Just moments ago, manager Pat Murphy finally answered the question by revealing his plan for Game 3. Prioritizing experience, the Brewers will officially turn to May in their first road postseason game on Tuesday night.

Dustin May's postseason experience, success against Padres validate Brewers' decision to start him in Game 3 of NLDS

After the way the season ended, Brewers fans might be surprised by the decision to start May in Game 3 rather than Gasser. May posted a 4.76 ERA in five starts during the month of September and covered just 17.0 total innings in those appearances. Gasser, on the other hand, finished the season strong, with a 1.67 ERA in five starts (27.0 innings) during the month of September to prove it.

On paper, Gasser seemed like the right choice, but there are several reasons for the Brewers to trust May over the rookie southpaw in Game 3. For one, May has far more postseason experience than Gasser. May has nine total playoff appearances, three of which were starts, whereas Gasser has just the 2.2 innings of relief he covered for the Brewers last year to his name. Yes, much of May's playoff experience came during the modified 2020 postseason, but his overall experience is also a reason to trust him with the ball in October.

Relating to that experience is the fact that May has thrown 47.2 innings at Petco Park in San Diego throughout his MLB career, and Gasser has thrown exactly zero innings at the Padres' home ballpark. In those 47.2 innings, May has a 3.02 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and a .182 opponent batting average. Contributing to those strong numbers is the seven-inning gem May spun against the Padres back on August 12, in which he allowed just one earned run and struck out six.

Throughout his career, home or away, May has a 3.14 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a .188 opponent batting average when facing the Padres, and that's in a large sample size (86.0 innings) due to the many years he spent as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Not only does May's experience make him the right choice for Game 3, but in earning the No. 3 starter's role, the 29-year-old right-hander raises the Brewers' ceiling. His high strikeout arsenal and ability to take over a game make him an intriguing postseason arm, even if he is a bit more volatile than someone like Gasser. For more on May's ceiling and why he's the right choice over Gasser, be sure to check out the story below.

Why Brewers leaning towards Dustin May as Game 3 starter raises their playoff rotation's ceiling

It's not yet determined just how Gasser will be used in the NLDS, but should the series advance to Game 4, it would not be surprising to see the young left-hander play a role in Pat Murphy's pitching plan. He could also be available in relief before then, if the Brewers need him. Regardless, it will be May for Game 3, as officially announced by Murphy this afternoon.

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