The National League Division Series (NLDS) between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers has been nothing short of dramatic, with the fate of both teams hinging on a Game 5 showdown. This decisive game, set for Saturday night, will determine who advances to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to face the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a series full of twists and turns, one thing has become abundantly clear: the outcome of this series has largely been determined in the first inning.
Of the 35 total runs scored across the first four games of the series, 21 runs have been scored in the first inning alone, underlining just how crucial the early moments of each game have been. Both teams have struggled to get off to strong starts, and managers on both sides have acknowledged that the first inning holds far more weight than usual.
As the Cubs and Brewers prepare for the decisive Game 5, there is little question that whoever can seize control early in the game — particularly in the first inning — may have the advantage in what has become one of the most fiercely contested playoff series of the year.
First Inning, First Strike: Pitching in the Spotlight
For both the Brewers and the Cubs, working as a starting pitcher has been a notoriously tough job in this series. The first inning has proven to be particularly problematic, with both teams’ pitchers showing vulnerability early on. Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy acknowledged the difficulty of starting strong in high-pressure playoff games, where the atmosphere is charged and the stakes are high.
“I think it’s way more common than you think, for pitchers to be vulnerable in the first inning,” Murphy said. “Everybody’s geeked up. The atmosphere is way different. And I think that’s something that is noted.”
Both teams are facing major decisions about which starting pitcher to turn to for the do-or-die Game 5. For the Chicago Cubs, the options are thin. Shota Imanaga, who took the loss in Game 2 of the series, is a potential candidate, but his 6.51 ERA in September and a less-than-stellar postseason performance have raised doubts about his effectiveness on just four days’ rest. Cubs’ manager Craig Counsell made it clear that while Imanaga remains an option, the Cubs are preparing for a bullpen-heavy approach.
“With the exception of (Game 4 starter) Matt Boyd, everyone’s going to be available,” Counsell said. “And so it’s a cliché here, but we have 11 pitchers to figure out how to get 27 outs. That’s how we’re treating it.”
On the other side, Milwaukee’s strategy may involve a more unconventional approach. In Game 2, Brewers manager Murphy used seven pitchers to secure a 7-3 victory, and it’s expected that this bullpen-heavy approach will again come into play during Game 5. With Aaron Ashby available after throwing 32 pitches in the Brewers’ Game 4 loss, Murphy has also listed Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, and Jacob Misiorowski as likely contributors. Despite the relatively unseasoned nature of some of these pitchers, Murphy believes they have the resilience and chemistry to deliver.
“A lot of those guys are rookies, a lot of those guys are not very experienced, but that’s how we’ve won all these games and come together,” Murphy said. “Now we’re playing in a way bigger environment, and it’s a bigger task. But I’m confident that we’ll have enough pitching.”
Cubs’ Resilience and Brewers’ Frustrations
The Cubs have shown remarkable resilience, managing to bring the series back to Milwaukee after losing the first two games at home. They have won three straight elimination games, with their Game 3 victory coming in a 4-3 thriller and Game 4 being a dominant 6-0 shutout.
“I feel like it’s an even slate,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said after the Game 4 victory. “Game 5. Both teams have had great moments in this series. I love where our group’s at.”
The Cubs are aiming to become just the 11th team in MLB history to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games, with the last team to do so being the New York Yankees in the 2017 AL Division Series. That historic comeback stands as a beacon of hope for the Cubs, who now look to complete the impossible in Game 5.
For the Milwaukee Brewers, Game 5 represents another shot at redemption after multiple years of postseason disappointment. Despite making the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, the Brewers have had little success in the postseason since their last series win in 2018. They lost the NLCS Game 7 to the Los Angeles Dodgers that year, and they’ve gone 4-13 in their last 17 playoff games, a streak of struggles that has left fans and players alike wondering if this year would be different.
Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy remains optimistic despite the recent setbacks. “We’re five wins away from the World Series,” Murphy said. “I’ve learned a lot about this team, and one thing it is, it’s resilient, and they bounce back.”
The Brewers are also looking to erase the bitter memory of last season’s crushing defeat to the New York Mets, where they led the series 2-0 heading into the ninth inning of Game 3, only to watch it slip away on a three-run homer by Pete Alonso in a four-run rally that ended their season.
Personal Stakes: Counsell Faces His Former Team
There is an added layer of drama to this series because of Craig Counsell’s connection to the Brewers. The Cubs manager, who grew up in the Milwaukee area, spent most of his playing career with the Brewers before taking over as their manager for several years. His decision to leave the Brewers and join the Cubs has added a personal element to this series that is hard to ignore, especially for the passionate Brewers fanbase.
Counsell, however, has downplayed any personal feelings regarding this matchup. “I’m just thinking about how do we advance,” Counsell said. “It’s almost like the opponent doesn’t matter right now. How do we advance? Because who you play and all those stories around that, that doesn’t matter. How do we advance? That’s really been my focus.”
The Road to the NLCS
Whoever emerges victorious from Game 5 will have a monumental task ahead of them in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The winner of Game 5 will face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are coming off a dominant regular season and are the favorites to represent the National League in the World Series.
For both the Cubs and Brewers, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner of this series will not only advance to the NLCS, but they will also carry the weight of their respective fanbases’ hopes and dreams. For Cubs fans, it would be another step toward their first World Series title since 2016. For Brewers fans, a postseason win would be a long-awaited victory in a city that has seen more than its share of heartbreak.
