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LOS ANGELES — Heading into the series, one could have said the most disrespected unit of any playoff team was the Brewers’ starting rotation. All the focus was on the bullpen and the starting pitching was held out as a major weakness. I was part of the chorus.
We weren’t wrong. The Brewers’ rotation was much less imposing than its bullpen. They started Game 1 of the NLCS with a bullpen game. C’mon. Teams with excellent rotations don’t do that.
Here’s the thing now, though. The starting pitchers in this postseason have been amazing for the Brewers.
Jhoulys Chacin went 5 2/3 scoreless innings Monday night in Game 3, helping to secure a 4-0 win and two-games-to-one advantage in the NLCS without completely depleting the bullpen in front of a huge Game 4 Tuesday night.
“I think Jhoulys was just outstanding tonight,” manager Craig Counsell said after Game 3. “He made big pitches. The strikeout to Grandal was a huge pitch. The last, let’s see, four times we’ve given him the ball it’s just been a big-time performance each and every time.”
He’s right, Chacin is all kinds of good right now. He’s pitching like a playoff ace. Let’s loop in the NL Central tiebreaker against the Cubs, because let’s face it, that’s basically a playoff game. Chacin in these last three incredibly meaningful starts: 16 IP, 7 H, 1 R. Perhaps a mental change in approach has helped him find his groove.
“In the playoffs, you go hitter by hitter,” Chain said. “You don’t think about the fifth or sixth; you go for the first guy and try to make pitches. That’s been my mindset the last four or five games. Be more like playoffs games, my last four or five games. Go hitter by hitter, try to make pitches and keep my team in the game and give my team a chance to win. That’s all I’ve been going.”
These two playoff starts were the first of Chacin’s career.
“I’ve been ready for this for almost 10 years,” he said. “Just really grateful that I had a chance to pitch in the playoffs. And just want to do my job. I just want to go out and give my team a chance to win the game. It doesn’t matter how I pitch. Just go out and maybe that’s why I’m having results the first two games.”
He’s not alone. Wade Miley has been outstanding in two outings, working 10 1/3 scoreless innings and having only allowed five hits and one walk (0.58 WHIP!).
“It’s a different guy coming in, Wade [Miley], we didn’t get him until halfway through the year,” infielder Travis Shaw said. “What he’s done in the second half has been remarkable for us. Every pitcher they brought up has done their job. It’s a different guy every single day and we’ve gotten contributions up and down the roster.”
“Miley and Chacin threw the ball well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Game 3. “So both those guys have had great years. They keep the ball down. And for us the plan is to get them up and try to put the ball in the air. And unfortunately tonight, and even against Miley the other night, we couldn’t do that and they kept us at bay.”
We could keep going, too.
Brandon Woodruff started the bullpen game and had a no-hitter in three scoreless innings.
Gio Gonzalez started Game 1 of the NLCS and while giving up one run in two innings isn’t great, it was just one swing of the bat — a Manny Machado home run — and he gave them what they needed to win.
Add it all up and the Brewers starting pitchers have a 0.57 ERA(!) in the playoffs and Game 163 combined.
That’s ridiculous and it’s a big reason why they are just two wins away from their first-ever NL pennant. Through 162 games, who would’ve thought the rotation would be such a huge factor in carrying the Brewers to a deep playoff run? And yet, here we are.
“Our guys that we’re giving the ball to at the start of the game, they’re doing a heck of a job, man,” said Counsell. “And they’re setting the tone really for games. They’re putting us in a good position. They’re putting us in a very advantageous position to use our guys in the bullpen. And then that’s going to lead to wins.”
All from the group thought to be a weakness heading down the stretch. Baseball is such a fun and unpredictable game.
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