Andrew Vaughn and Jacob Misiorowski vaulted from the minors to become Milwaukee’s postseason catalysts, with Vaughn delivering a tiebreaking fourth-inning homer in Game 5 and Misiorowski supplying four clean innings in relief to seal the series. A chain of trades and near-misses set the stage for a rapid Brewers turnaround, as Vaughn’s free-swinging approach and Misiorowski’s blazing fastball transformed a midseason acquisition into a playoff harbinger.

Vaughn’s breakout came after a change of scenery that unlocked his plate discipline and power, culminating in a 383-foot shot off Colin Rea to push Milwaukee ahead. Misiorowski, after an All-Star start before a tibia bruise, returned with 100+ mph tools and threaded three scoreless frames in key moments, underscoring Milwaukee’s new-found depth as they advanced toward the NLCS.