Christian Yelich and the Brewers looking to get past Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in NLCS sequel

The Milwaukee Brewers are on the verge of a potential matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 NL Championship Series. Christian Yelich, the Brewers' star player, expressed confidence in the team's ability to face off against the Dodgers, who have won consecutive World Series titles and boast a substantial payroll.

The Dodgers and Brewers faced each other in the NLCS last year, with Los Angeles emerging victorious. Milwaukee had previously lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS in 2018 and in the wild-card round in 2020. The sequel NLCS features two dominant starting pitchers for each team: Tarik Skubal for the Dodgers and Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers.

Milwaukee was rumored to have been interested in pairing Skubal with Misiorowski during the trade deadline, but the Detroit Tigers opted for a trade with the Dodgers instead. Manager Dave Roberts of the Dodgers emphasized the similarity between the two teams, noting that there would be no secrets in their upcoming matchup.

The NLCS also highlights the ongoing negotiations in MLB's collective bargaining agreement, which is set to expire on December 1. The Dodgers, with a record of 100-62, have the highest payroll in the league, second only to the New York Mets. Meanwhile, the Brewers, with a $125.9 million payroll, set a franchise record with 103 wins and secured their fourth consecutive Central title.

The Brewers have faced adversity in their previous encounters with the Dodgers. During last year's playoffs, Milwaukee struggled, hitting .118 with just one run in each game. Despite this, the Brewers are focused on winning and have faith in their roster, particularly in 24-year-old Misiorowski, who went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA in 30 starts this season.