No question, the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres could face one another in October. The Brewers come to town having won seven of their last 10 games. The Padres have an opportunity to take down one of the National League heavyweights in this three-game series.
Currently, the Brew Crew hold the best record in baseball (77-44) and lead the NL Central by five-and-a-half games over the Chicago Cubs. They’re expected to make the playoffs as either a division winner or a Wild Card berth holder. The Brewers hope to continue being baseball’s road warriors with a 33-22 record away from home.
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The Padres are playing their best stretch of baseball (won 12 of their last 16 games) in 2026. It has put them in the chase for the final Wild-Card berth. However, the club faces a tremendous challenge ahead. If the Friars win this series, the national media must finally recognize them as a genuine postseason contender.
Both lineups can mash
Usually, pitching dominates a big series, but this three-game set could be highlighted by each team’s bats.
The Brewers have a quality lineup, especially at the top of the order. Brian Turang and Jackson Chourio have formed a lethal 1-2 punch. Turang is the prototypical leadoff hitter in today’s baseball; he can hit for power (27 doubles, three triples, and 16 home runs) and steal a base late in a close game. Chourio is in the midst of a hot streak (10-36 with 4 HRs) over the last 10 games.
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Boasting a balanced attack, the team is currently hitting .253 with 109 home runs, 585 runs scored, and 117 stolen bases this season. While they continue to produce, the lineup is waiting for the return of Sal Frelick, who took a major step by beginning his minor league rehab assignment this past weekend.
We have discussed endlessly how the Padres offense has been MIA for most of the season. However, since the All-Star break, the lineup ranks among the top 10 in several key hitting categories, including team batting average, runs scored, and OPS. During this stretch, the lineup is hitting .272 and outscoring their opponents by 11 runs.
The Friars have five players (Manny Machado (23), Jackson Merrill (18), Ty France (16), Gavin Sheets (15), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (11) who have hit 10 or more home runs. The team is hitting .236 with 124 home runs and 497 runs scored for the season.
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The series could come down to which pitching staff can quiet their opponent’s bats. Good news for the Padres: they will miss NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski in this three-game set.
Taking the mound: Logan Henderson (MIL) vs Casey Mize (SD)
The Brewers will send Logan Henderson (6-1, 2.70 ERA) out to the mound, as he has won three consecutive starts. However, the 2026 season did not start that way; Henderson failed to make the Opening Day roster. His Triple-A numbers (2-0, 1.50 ERA) were outstanding, but a back injury prevented him from being called up.
He is enjoying a breakout campaign. Henderson has struck out 62 batters in 50.0 innings. Opponents are hitting .201 against him in 10 starts. His success is limiting hard-hit balls, as Henderson’s rate is an astounding 34.6%.
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Exciting night for Casey Mize (4-7, 3.40 ERA), who is making his first start as a Padre at Petco Park. You always want to make a good first impression, but that was not the case for Mize. He struggled against Arizona; the Diamondbacks roughed him up for eight runs on nine hits over 3.1 innings last week.
This was a rare occurrence for Mize in 2026. His statistical numbers show he pitches well enough to give his team a chance to win the contest. Mize has allowed only 76 hits in 90.0 innings pitched this season.
Today’s lineups
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