Pat Murphy hints at which pitchers will be included on Brewers' 2026 NLCS roster

The Milwaukee Brewers went against the grain and included 13 pitchers on their NLDS roster. Most teams will carry just 12 pitchers, and therefore 14 position players, on their postseason roster when playing a best-of-five series, but the Brewers made the decision to carry the extra pitcher this year, and in doing so answered one of the biggest remaining questions fans had about the postseason roster: Do the Brewers have room for Kyle Harrison on their postseason roster?

Carrying 13 pitchers allowed the Brewers to carry Harrison, whose late-season inconsistency had many questioning what his role would be in the postseason. However, during Milwaukee's memorable four-games against the Padres, the left-handed Harrison didn't throw a single pitch. Not only did the Brewers navigate the NLDS without throwing Harrison, but Pat Murphy also didn't need to call upon Shane Drohan or Chad Patrick, both of whom were on the roster, at any point in the series.

On Saturday afternoon, when asked about why Harrison, Drohan, and Patrick weren't used in the NLDS, Murphy said, "I trust those guys. It's just the way it worked out, it was the way to do it." Murphy's response is by no means controversial -- there really wasn't an obvious opportunity to throw Harrison, Drohan, or Patrick during the NLDS, and instead, the Brewers' bullpen usage was cited as one of the key reasons for the team's victory.

However, things are different in the NLCS, which is a best-of-seven series instead of a best-of-five. The longer series likely means the Brewers will have to use more pitchers, meaning Harrison, Drohan, and Patrick's lack of usage in the NLDS doesn't necessarily indicate that they won't be called upon in the NLCS.

Some have speculated that the trio's NLCS roster status is in question due to the fact that they didn't pitch in the NLDS, but manager Pat Murphy all but confirmed that each will be on the roster for the series against the Dodgers. Said Murphy on the trio on Saturday afternoon, "I anticipate all of them having a role."

Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, and Chad Patrick all expected to be on Brewers' NLCS roster despite not pitching in NLDS

Though the official NLCS roster won't be released until tomorrow morning, it appears likely that the Brewers will carry the same group that they did against the Padres in the NLDS. Given the fact that the other 10 pitchers were called upon in high-leverage situations against San Diego, it would be shocking for them to be left off the NLCS roster.

Brandon Woodruff is not yet ready for game action, so him being included on the NLCS roster is implausible. Really the only arm who the Brewers could include on the NLCS roster who wasn't on the NLDS roster is Grant Anderson. The right-handed Anderson maintained a solid 3.36 ERA in 52 appearances during the regular season, and was often a nightmare matchup for right-handed hitters. However, Anderson struggled against lefties, whom he would almost certainly face in the NLCS if he was called upon, and including him on their roster over someone like Drohan, Harrison, or Patrick would decrease the versatility of Milwaukee's 'pen, as Anderson is generally limited to one-inning outings, whereas the other three can cover multiple innings.

It therefore makes the most sense that the Brewers will roll with the same 13 pitchers whom they carried on their NLDS roster, despite the fact that three of those pitchers didn't make an appearance against the Padres. If Murphy's comments are to be believed, that trio could play a key role in the Brewers' quest to knock off the Dodgers in the NLCS.

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