Dodgers head – After an off day and a quick return to form in San Diego, the Dodgers open a three-game set in Milwaukee against a Brewers team that leads the NL Central by 1.5 games, wins without heavy homer power, and has several key bats back in the lineup.
The Dodgers landed in Milwaukee with an off day behind them and a simple problem ahead: the Brewers are playing like the division lead is theirs to protect.
They arrive after taking two of three from the Padres and then settling for a day off. Now it’s three straight games with Milwaukee, sitting on top of the NL Central with a 1.5-game lead over the Chicago Cubs.
Milwaukee’s current rhythm doesn’t depend on the long ball. The Brewers have the fewest home runs of any team in MLB so far this season, with 33. They’ve also hit the fewest total extra base hits in the majors, and they top MLB with the highest ground-ball rate.
They’re winning the quieter battles. Milwaukee gets on base by taking walks and putting balls in play. Their strikeout rate is the fourth lowest in MLB, and they’re tied for third in on-base percentage. Once runners are aboard. the Brewers lean into the small edges that add up—steals and sacrifice bunts—while also carrying a team batting average that ranks fourth with runners in scoring position.
That matters because Milwaukee’s offense is back at full strength in a way it wasn’t earlier this season. The Brewers are coming off a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley. a run that pushed them to the divisional lead. Their top three power hitters missed significant time to injury. but all three are back in the lineup: Christian Yelich. Jackson Churio and Andrew Vaughn.
On the mound, Milwaukee also has a top-notch pitching staff, and the Dodgers feel a bit of relief in one specific absence. They’re maybe lucky to be missing Jacob Misorowski in this series.
Friday’s matchup sets the tone for the first clash of the set. The Brewers will send Logan Henderson to the mound. Since returning from Triple-A, Henderson has allowed two or fewer runs and gone at least five innings in those three outings. In that span, he’s struck out 20 and walked two.
Justin Wrobleski gets the start for the Dodgers. He is 4-0 on the road with a 1.50 ERA. and he has gone at least six innings in each of his last six starts. including his last outing against the Angels in Anaheim. Wrobleski also doesn’t rack up swings and misses. which becomes important against a Brewers team that. by their profile. doesn’t strike out and puts a lot of balls in play.
With the off day, the Dodgers bullpen will be well rested. They still have work to do offensively—this season hasn’t consistently produced strong numbers—but they did manage to take two of three in San Diego. Now the Dodgers have to keep fighting for every run they can find. because Milwaukee’s approach turns small opportunities into pressure.
A three-game set can change a season’s story quickly. For the Dodgers, the question in Milwaukee is straightforward: can they disrupt the Brewers’ low-power, high-contact, on-base-first style before it turns the division lead into something bigger?
Dodgers Brewers NL Central Milwaukee Los Angeles Logan Henderson Justin Wrobleski Christian Yelich Jackson Churio Andrew Vaughn