Monday, October 13, 2025 • 8:08 PM ET
American Family Field • Milwaukee, WI
LHP Blake Snell (2-0, 1.38 ERA) vs. LHP Aaron Ashby (0-0, 5.79 ERA)
TBS, HBO Max
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) begins on Monday. The Los Angeles Dodgers (93-69) travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers (97-65). The Brewers claimed victory in the NL Central and won home-field advantage as the No. 1 seed in the postseason for the National League. Meanwhile, the Dodgers won their 12th NL West title in the past 13 years and entered the postseason as a Wild Card team (No. 3 seed).
Milwaukee earned a bye with the first seed and then went on to defeat its division rival, the Cubs, in the NLDS, 3-2. It was the first time the two met in a postseason matchup. Meanwhile, the Dodgers swept the Reds in the Wild Card round, 2-0, and defeated the Phillies 3-1 to advance to the NLCS. The Brewers look to advance to the World Series in pursuit of their first title, while the Dodgers look to become the first team since the Yankees to win back-to-back titles after the Bronx Bombers won three straight from 1998-2000.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Dodgers Lineup
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Teoscar Hernández, RF
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Will Smith, C
- Tommy Edman, 2B
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Enrique Hernández, LF
- Andy Pages, CF
Blake Snell takes the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1. The southpaw suffered a shortened 2025 after landing on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation. However, in 11 starts, the 32-year-old went 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA. He struck out 72 batters in just over 61 innings of work and surrendered only three home runs.
In two postseason starts this year, Snell has allowed five hits, two earned runs, five walks and struck out 18 in 13 innings of work. His NLDS performance was a masterclass; he pitched six innings of one-hit ball against the Phillies. Snell didn’t face Milwaukee in 2025, but allowed one run on four hits in his one start against them in 2024 as a member of the Giants. William Contreras tagged Snell for an RBI double while Blake Perkins also notched a hit off him.
Brewers Lineup
- Jackson Chourio, RF
- Christian Yelich, DH
- William Contreras, C
- Brice Turang, 2B
- Andrew Vaughn, 1B
- Sal Frelick, CF
- Caleb Durbin, 3B
- Isaac Collins, LF
- Joey Ortiz, SS
The Brewers put out two bullpen games during their NLDS against the Cubs, and will use Aaron Ashby as an opener for Game 1 of the NLCS on Monday. Manager Pat Murphy confirmed Freddy Peralta would start Game 2, and with Quinn Priester and José Quintana available as well, one of those two will likely follow Ashby. In his four appearances during the NLDS, Ashby allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits. He worked as an opener in the second game, where the Cubs roughed him up for three runs in just under two innings of work.
Of note, Tobias Myers, a pitcher the Brewers have used as a starter and reliever in his time with Milwaukee, joins the NLCS roster after being left off the NLDS team.
The Dodgers have succeeded against Ashby in 2025, hitting .353/.476/.353 against the southpaw in 17 at-bats. Nobody tagged him for a home run, and Ashby struck out six Dodgers.
