Get ready for an epic showdown as the Dodgers and Brewers face off in the NLCS!
A Tale of Two Teams
The Brewers, a familiar foe, are back with a mission: to claim their first pennant since 1982 and finally break into the World Series winners' circle. But standing in their way are the Hollywood-based Dodgers, a star-studded team with their sights set on another championship.
The Stage is Set
Game 1 of the NLCS will take place in Milwaukee on Monday at 8:08 p.m. ET, broadcast live on FOX. This highly anticipated matchup has MLB experts buzzing with predictions and insights.
Expert Predictions: Dodgers vs. Brewers
Despite the Brewers' impressive regular-season record and their dominance over the Dodgers in head-to-head meetings, a majority of experts (21 out of 26) believe the Dodgers will prevail. Here's why:
- The Dodgers are built for the playoffs, with a clear championship goal from the start of the season. They're ready to bring their A-game.
- The ability to set their rotation and the emergence of Roki Sasaki as a late-game bullpen solution give the Dodgers a significant advantage.
- The Dodgers' star power, including Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, is a force to be reckoned with. And with Ohtani likely to have a more favorable matchup against the Brewers' right-handed-heavy lineup, he could be a game-changer.
However, not everyone is convinced. Some experts argue that the Brewers have a history of defying expectations and that their success against the Dodgers in the regular season was no fluke. They believe the Brewers' relentless offense and confident mindset will carry them through.
Series Predictions
The experts' series predictions are as follows:
- Dodgers (6 games): 11 votes
- Dodgers (5 games): 6 votes
- Dodgers (7 games): 4 votes
- Brewers (7 games): 3 votes
- Brewers (6 games): 2 votes
NLCS MVP Contenders
When it comes to the NLCS MVP, the experts are divided, with votes spread across nine Dodgers players and four Brewers players. Here are the top contenders:
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD): 5 votes
- Mookie Betts (LAD): 4 votes
- Teoscar Hernández (LAD): 3 votes
- Roki Sasaki (LAD): 3 votes
- Freddie Freeman (LAD): 2 votes
- William Contreras (MIL): 2 votes
- Blake Snell (LAD): 1 vote
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD): 1 vote
- Tyler Glasnow (LAD): 1 vote
- Kiké Hernández (LAD): 1 vote
- Jackson Chourio (MIL): 1 vote
- Christian Yelich (MIL): 1 vote
- Brice Turang (MIL): 1 vote
The MVP Debate
While the Dodgers are favored to win the NLCS, the MVP race is a closer call. Ohtani, despite a slow start in the postseason, is expected to bounce back and make a big impact. But with so many Dodgers players performing at a high level, the competition for MVP is fierce.
On the Brewers' side, William Contreras stands out as a potential MVP candidate, with multiple votes in his favor.
And the Winner Is...
Who will ultimately be crowned the NLCS MVP? Will it be the two-way superstar Ohtani, or will a Brewers player steal the show? Only time will tell.
As the series unfolds, keep an eye on these key players and their performances. Will the experts' predictions come true, or will the Brewers pull off an upset? Stay tuned to find out!
