Brewers Open NLDS vs. Padres Chasing First World Series Trip Since 1982

Milwaukee brings the majors' best record and a franchise-record 103 wins into a division series against San Diego, seeking its first World Series berth in 44 years.

The Milwaukee Brewers carry the majors' best record and a franchise-record 103 wins into a National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, the first step in their latest bid to end a World Series absence now 44 years long.

Milwaukee has never won a World Series, and its only appearance came in 1982, when the franchise — an American League club at the time — fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. The Brewers have long carried an underdog reputation, tied to playing in the game's smallest market and fielding one of its youngest rosters, yet for most of the past decade they have ranked among baseball's strongest teams.

The past two Octobers ended in disappointment. In the 2024 wild-card round, Pete Alonso's home run in the ninth inning sent the New York Mets past Milwaukee. "Two years ago, we got beat by a ninth-inning homer by [Pete] Alonso when we had one of the best relievers in baseball on the mound," manager Pat Murphy said. "So that happens. We had an opportunity to move on. We were right there."

The 2025 National League Championship Series brought a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Last year, we ran into a team that was very, very hot," Murphy said of that series. "They're not only hot, but they were super talented, super built for that. They played their best baseball that series."

Much of the current roster lived through both eliminations, and the organization believes those quick, harsh lessons created a level of experience unusual for so young a club. "I think there's a different edge to this team," president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. "They're bonded together in a really unique way. They're well-balanced in a unique way. And I think they'll be ready."

The bracket offers no breather. Milwaukee opens against San Diego on Saturday, and no club in baseball has played better than the Padres over the past six weeks. Surviving that series would mean facing either the Atlanta Braves, who are in strong form lately, or the Dodgers, winners of the past two World Series, who swept the Brewers in last season's NLCS.

The roster remains notably green — 10 of the 26 players on the postseason roster are under 27, with the Chicago White Sox the only other playoff club comparable in youth — but the Brewers pair that youth with real October experience. Jackson Chourio, a 22-year-old outfielder, already has three full major league seasons, two postseasons, a 1.044 OPS and four home runs across 12 playoff games. "I don't think youth hurts us. I think youth helps us because these guys are forging their mindsets and creating their approach to the game," Murphy said, pointing to the Washington Nationals' run from the wild card to a championship. "I don't think the youth is an excuse by any means."

First baseman Jake Bauers sees a changed mindset from a year ago. "I think back to last year, I think there was an element of maybe a little bit of lack of belief that we could do it," he said. "Maybe a little too much doubt. And I think going into this postseason, there's a different feeling around the team." He added that the club made a point this season of ensuring every player understood what the group was capable of without anyone needing to do more than he could, and that a year of teammates ready "to pick them up" has "only added to the confidence" amid expectations as high as any Milwaukee team has carried in years.

San Diego visits American Family Field next on Sunday, October 4, for a 4:00 PM EDT first pitch against Milwaukee, with the game on FS1.