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The NLCS is starting tomorrow, and the Brewers have announced their plans for the first three games of the series. While they were vague with their rotation in the NLDS, they have a more definite plan in place to begin the NLCS.
#Brewers have announced their starting pitchers for Games 1-3 of the NLCS.
— The Brewer Nation (@BrewerNation) October 11, 2018
It'll be Gio Gonzalez on Friday, Wade Miley on Saturday, and Jhoulys Chacín on Monday.
Gio Gonzalez will lead off the rotation for the Brewers after not making an appearance during the NLDS. He was warming up a few times, but never actually entered a game for the team. Gonzalez was one of the stronger pitchers in the rotation to end the regular season, making five starts and recording a 2.13 ERA for the Brewers.
Wade Miley gets the call for Game 2. He started Game 3 of the NLDS, pitching 4.2 scoreless inning in the Brewers clinching game. Chacin will be moved back to start Game 3, which would also align him to pitch either a critical Game 6 on short rest or Game 7 on regular rest. Chacin has been their best starter this season, leading the team with 35 starts and recording a 3.50 ERA.
No fourth starter was announced with this group, but it’s likely that they will try to get another bullpen game during this series, leaning on that strength of the team. In the NLDS, no pitcher was used for more than 5 innings, and each pitcher that appeared recorded at least 2 innings. It worked to great effect against the Rockies, and the Brewers will count on it again versus the Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have not announced their rotation beyond Game 1 of the NLCS yet. Clayton Kershaw will start game 1, with either Walker Buehler or Hyun-Jin Ryu going in Game 2, and the other likely going in Game 3. After that is unknown at this point, though Rich Hill did also make a start during the NLDS against the Braves, so he is the likely candidate there. The Dodgers could also choose to start Kershaw on short rest as well, and potentially get three starts out of him in the series if needed.
Game 1 is just under 28 hours away now, set for tomorrow night at 7 pm. The first matchup will be Gonzalez vs. Kershaw in what should be a hard fought NLCS.