Brewers vs Padres NLDS: 3 ways Milwaukee can advance to the next round

The Milwaukee Brewers enter the NLDS with the best record in baseball and a chance to turn a stellar regular season into a deep postseason run. However, the Brew Crew have their work cut out for them as they prepare to face the red-hot San Diego Padres in a best-of-five series.

Milwaukee finished the season 103-59 and earned home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Padres will now travel to American Family Field to begin the series on Saturday, coming off a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round.

The Padres bring plenty of star power and an elite bullpen, but every team has weaknesses, and there are a few the Brewers should attack.

If Milwaukee is going to reach the NLCS for the second straight season, it will likely come down to exploiting these weaknesses and leaning on their own strengths.

Milwaukee should still lean on their elite velocity, because a Jacob Misiorowski fastball that tops out at 105 mph is going to be difficult for any batter to square up. However, against a Padres lineup that has handled high velocity well this season, the Brewers cannot simply expect to blow the doors off every batter.

As a result, Misiorowski's secondary pitches may become just as important as his heater. The same goes for the rest of Milwaukee's staff. The Brewers can use the fastball to work into favorable counts. In obvious fastball counts, though, mixing in some sliders and other breaking pitches could keep the Padres guessing and prevent them from sitting on velocity.

Milwaukee is second in MLB in runs per game in the first four innings at 2.27, and keeping this pace would go a long way against this San Diego team.

The Brewers must avoid turning every game into a battle of bullpens. The Padres' relievers, headlined by Mason Miller, are among the strongest parts of their roster. If Milwaukee can do damage in the early innings, they can put pressure on the softer part of the Padres' pitching staff before Mason Miller and the rest of the elite late-inning group take over.

If the Brewers could push a starter out after four or five innings, the extra wear and tear on the San Diego relievers could be significant in a five-game series.

Sep 9, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) during the game against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

The Brewers' third key is playing offense "their way," by prioritizing contact hitting and placing constant pressure on San Diego's infield and forcing the Padres to make plays.

As the Brewers have known all year, hitting home runs is not the only way to generate consistent offense. Milwaukee led the major leagues in hits and batting average, and they are no stranger to manufacturing pressure with ground balls and aggressive baserunning (fifth in MLB in stolen bases).

The Padres' infield has had issues this season and, as a unit, collectively posted a -7 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved). Based on this statistic from The Fielding Bible , the Padres possess a below-average defensive infield.

If the Brewers can continue to create chaos, force rushed throws, and make San Diego's infield execute, they will be able to generate offense without relying on extra-base hits.

The Brewers don't need to change their identity to win this series. As long as they can keep San Diego off balance, attack the rotation before the bullpen takes control, and pressure the Padres' infield, they should be in solid shape to advance to the NLCS once again.