Dodgers showcase payroll power in Game 1, with Freeman's sixth-inning homer and Snell's eight scoreless frames lifting LA past Milwaukee. Betts sealed it with a bases-loaded walk as the Dodgers out-tacked the Brewers’ depth and set a potent tone for the series. The Brewers leaned on a bullpen-heavy approach, but the star talent edge proved decisive.

Game 2 shifts to Dodger Stadium with Yamamoto on the hill; Ohtani and Glasnow looms for Games 3–4. Ohtani’s mini-slump from the Phillies era sparked questions, but his patient at-bats and the Dodgers’ depth keep them favored. For fantasy and betting, the takeaway is clear: talent wins series when the payrolls hum at peak.

Andrew Vaughn’s move from Chicago to Milwaukee sparked a late-season breakout, slashing .308/.375/.493 in 64 games and delivering a decisive tiebreaking homer in Game 5 to push Milwaukee past Chicago. Jacob Misiorowski arrived with electric velocity, earned a second win in the series, and showcased elite fastball heat (peaking 104.3 mph) to anchor the Brewers in the NLDS despite a midseason slump.

Trade moves intertwining Vaughn and Misiorowski with the Brewers’ rotation reshaped expectations: Civale’s bullpen shift, Vaughn’s disciplined approach, and Misiorowski’s resilience created a postseason-ready mix. The duo’s performance elevated Milwaukee’s odds, turning a midseason fix into a playoff catalyst and signaling a new era of depth and upside in Milwaukee’s pitching and lineup.