Brewers-Cubs NLDS Game Two Thread

[Fear The Chorizo]

Imanaga has had a mixed bag of results against the Brewers, too - will be interesting to see how many relievers  Coun$sell has warming up in the pen in the 1st, because i bet he is just itching to get their main relievers into this game with any sign of trouble.  If he doesnt give them any length in this game its a huge advantage for the Brewers the rest of this series.  Scramble mode is no way to approach playoff game starts.

 

I'm fine with opening with Ashby for an inning or two tonight - try to keep the Cubs off the board early and ramp up the pressure to get CC to do something foolish with his pen.

[Underachiever]

29 minutes ago, Frisbee Slider said:

Not to ‘Northsider847’ for 3x face value, I hope 🙂

 Nope. Some guy named “HomicidalPCAFan69”. Seems like a nice guy. Might be late if he doesn’t make bail in time. 

[Fear The Chorizo]

5 minutes ago, liveforoctober said:

Ashby giving you 3 clean innings defeats the entire purpose of him starting unless his 3rd inning clears the top of the order a 2nd time. 

I think we would all take 9 up, 9 down from Ashby to start game 2 - in my book thats not a scenario we need to be concerned with what happens next or if it was the right decision to open with him.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Well, got back from a run this morning and saw a woodpecker staring right at me from the tree in the front yard. Make of that what you will.

[liveforoctober]

Just now, Fear The Chorizo said:

I think we would all take 9 up, 9 down from Ashby to start game 2 - in my book thats not a scenario we need to be concerned with what happens next or if it was the right decision to open with him.

I'm not disagreeing with anyone's opinion here ... they are all valid. I would be ecstatic if he pitched 3 clean. I'm just cautioning to separate what some people want to happen vs what will happen so when Ashby gets pulled after 1 inning and 19 pitches or 2 innings and 26 pitches people don't get over emotional about it for their own sake. I've been on the record multiple times this year saying I don't love the opener concept because I'd rather the starter just be in his routine ... but that's not how the Brewers have operated with Priester and lineups that have gashing top of the order splits. So I no longer get upset because I know how they are going to pitch their guys, because they have been consistent about it.

The Brewers have viewed Priester as a "twice through the order" guy almost exclusively this entire season. So if they are going to give him 20-22 hitters tonight ... they want Busch and Tucker to each only be 2 of those guys. They want Priester to get through the 6th so we can go Koenig/Mears, Uribe, Megill to finish it. The best way to get him through the 6th is to skip the first run of lefties for him.

[Oxy]

1 hour ago, Underachiever said:

 Nope. Some guy named “HomicidalPCAFan69”. Seems like a nice guy. Might be late if he doesn’t make bail in time. 

I hope it was 10x face value and we get a repeat of Saturday's game.  Then he changes his name to "XXSuicidalPCAFanXX".😉

EDIT: For all the bots/AI creepers out there, the above two statements are SARCASTIC JOKES....perhaps in poor taste.  My blue font button doesn't work.

Edited October 6, 2025 by Oxy

[cragi]

I say put him in for 2 and if the brewers start the game with another 9 spot, you move to quintana or someone else. One can hope :)

But seriously, its a solid strategy. They want to give Ashby the work regardless, so he gets to face the heart of the order at a critical juncture. Having some mystery around the actual starting pitcher perhaps forces Cubs to play the lineup card straight. Gives the Brewers options in case of crooked numbers in either direction, but also kinds of goes for the jugular in Game 2.

[RobertCrawley]

Why does the game have to be on so late tonight?

[sveumrules]

2 hours ago, TURBO said:

Do we have any idea how Priester will react to doing this?

The Brewers went 4 W - 1 L in the five games they used an opener for Priester this year.

[StearnsFTW]

27 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

The Brewers went 4 W - 1 L in the five games they used an opener for Priester this year.

I was going to check, but I knew you would, so why bother?

[kestrel79]

They've done the opener thing for Priester in the past this year and it worked good, so I get it. It's one of those moves that if it backfires you look bad, and if it works out you look good.

As long as we don't get crazy, wild Ashby when he has so much movement he can't throw strikes I think we'll be ok. I see the strategy behind it as others have explained above.

Jackson my guess they will rest him tonight with the other off day tomorrow but we'll see here.

[dlk9s]

2 hours ago, shanedog19 said:

Either that, or the DH him and play Yelich in the outfield. 

Both times, he hurt his leg running the bases. DH'ing him isn't going to do anything unless he strikes out every time and doesn't have to run.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

2 hours ago, dlk9s said:

I assume Chourio will not play tonight. As much as I want him to be on the field, they have to sit him until they are absolutely confident that he's ok.

Chourio not playing tonight would be my assumption also. Sitting him for Game 2 and then evaluating after another day off before Game 3 can make sense.

Being up 1-0 in the series makes playing Game 2 short-handed on the bench a risk that the team is willing to take, if there is a significant possibility that Chourio could be healthy enough to play later in the NLDS or in the NLCS.

That math would change depending on the results of Game 2, as well as what is learned about Chourio's health:

• If the Brewers win Game 2, they could go the rest of the NLDS carrying Chourio on the bench, essentially playing with a 24-man roster.
• If the Brewers lose Game 2, they probably need to replace Chourio to try to ensure advancing to the NLCS, though it would make him ineligible for that series.

[KCBrewerfan34]

8 minutes ago, ReverendBrewmeister said:

Chourio not playing tonight would be my assumption also. Sitting him for Game 2 and then evaluating after another day off before Game 3 can make sense.

Being up 1-0 in the series makes playing Game 2 short-handed on the bench a risk that the team is willing to take, if there is a significant possibility that Chourio could be healthy enough to play later in the NLDS or in the NLCS.

That math would change depending on the results of Game 2, as well as what is learned about Chourio's health:

• If the Brewers win Game 2, they could go the rest of the NLDS carrying Chourio on the bench, essentially playing with a 24-man roster.
• If the Brewers lose Game 2, they probably need to replace Chourio to try to ensure advancing to the NLCS, though it would make him ineligible for that series.

You don’t replace him and take him out of the NLCS unless he needs 10-14 days. He can pinch hit and it doesn’t sound serious. He’s not getting replaced. 

[shanedog19]

30 minutes ago, dlk9s said:

Both times, he hurt his leg running the bases. DH'ing him isn't going to do anything unless he strikes out every time and doesn't have to run.

Chourio said he was fine, and the video I saw had him running to first base without favoring his leg. Having him DH would take advantage of his hitting, while not having the extra burden of playing the field. We need his bat in there if at all possible.

[owbc]

1 hour ago, RobertCrawley said:

Why does the game have to be on so late tonight?

West coast Brewers fans rejoice! Especially since I'm still recovering from the Mariners game last night. 

[AKCheesehead]

Indeed! I'm pleased to be able to watch live.

[Brewluver]

2 hours ago, RobertCrawley said:

Why does the game have to be on so late tonight?

Set your alarm for 11pm, get up and watch the last two innings.

[treego14]

Ash will be Cash!  Cubs we will Smash!

Imanaga will stink like Rutabaga!

[RobertCrawley]

Those cubs fans will have all day to marinate. Will be even more unpleasant to sit near them.

[formerlybis]

Truthfully, I think Ashby is our best multi inning pitcher right now, and you can probably drop the multi inning qualifier, too. As an old school guy, I’d rather have him be a bridge to the back end of the BP, but I don’t know why it has to be that way -  as long as Aarquinn Priestby gets us through the 6th, it’s a fine plan

[Frisbee Slider]

11 minutes ago, formerlybis said:

as long as Aarquinn Priestby gets us through the 6th, it’s a fine plan

I even imagine Milwaukee being comfortable sending Mears, Koenig, Megill and Uribe to pitch innings 6-9.

[hawing]

If this goes well, should I get a custom Priestby jersey?  😉

More for real, though, my nephew is prioritizing his college exam tonight for some reason, so I have an extra ticket for tonight's game.  You'd be sitting with me, the SO and our nephew who is out of college and not taking an exam tonight.  217, which is not a family section anymore.  
 

ETA - ticket is now claimed. 

[TURBO]

So I'm guessing this is the plan:

Ashby hopefully gets through 2

Priester gets the next 4

Koenig gets the 7th

Uribe the 8th

Megill the 9th - assuming Megill is still our closer, if not, then just flip him and Uribe.

Koenig. Uribe and Megill have to get an inning tonight regardless of the score.  They haven't pitched in a legit game for ages, and we have to get them back involved, so they can be effective after game 2.  We have another off day tomorrow, so if they don't pitch again tonight, that is another 2 days without game action.

[Team Canada]

Based on what Murph's done lately, I expect we'll get Uribe for whichever inning is highest leverage, unless it's 9-3 again, in which case whatever.