The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres commenced their National League Division Series (NLDS) on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The Brewers, boasting a franchise-record 103-win season, faced the Padres, who advanced after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round.
Milwaukee's ace, Jacob Misiorowski, took the mound for Game 1. Misiorowski led the majors with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts during the regular season, making him a strong contender for the NL Cy Young Award. He previously dominated the Padres on May 13, pitching seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. (baseballprospectus.com)
Opposing him was San Diego's left-hander Robbie Ray, who joined the Padres mid-season from the San Francisco Giants. In nine starts with San Diego, Ray posted a 5.02 ERA. Manager Craig Stammen expressed confidence in Ray's veteran experience for the postseason. (si.com)
The Brewers' lineup featured standout rookie Jackson Chourio, who led the team with a .291 batting average, 25 home runs, and 23 stolen bases. Chourio's impressive September performance included a .337 average and 18 RBIs over 24 games. (foxsports.com)
For the Padres, shortstop Xander Bogaerts entered the series with a hot bat, hitting .500 in the Wild Card round against the Cubs. Third baseman Manny Machado also contributed significantly, recording a home run and two RBIs in the series opener. (foxsports.com)
The Brewers' historic regular-season performance and the Padres' momentum from the Wild Card round set the stage for an exciting NLDS matchup. Fans eagerly anticipated how Milwaukee's dominant pitching would fare against San Diego's potent lineup.