Murphy embracing Brewers' underdog status before NLCS matchup with Dodgers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Pat Murphy and his Milwaukee Brewers adopted an underdog mentality even as they produced the best regular-season record in the major leagues this year.

Their NL Championship Series matchup with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers enables them to embrace that approach even more. The series starts Monday with Game 1 in Milwaukee.

The Dodgers are seeking their third World Series title in six years, boast the game’s biggest star in three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and have a record spend of payroll and luxury tax totaling $509.5 million. The Brewers play in the smallest market in the major leagues, have never won a title and made their lone World Series appearance in 1982.

One more indication of the contrast between these teams: The Dodgers’ projected luxury tax bill of nearly $168 million exceeds Milwaukee’s entire payroll of $124.8 million.

“The Dodgers are a powerhouse. What can you say?" Murphy said.

BetMGM has established the Dodgers as minus-220 favorites, meaning it gives the Dodgers a 68.8% chance of winning the series. Someone would have to bet $220 on the Dodgers to win $100 if they take the series.

“It doesn’t matter what people say,” Brewers second baseman Brice Turang explained. “It matters what we believe in here.”

There’s one problem with the Brewers’ underdog narrative. They won all six of their regular-season meetings with the Dodgers.

No wonder Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts takes umbrage with the notion that this is a David vs. Goliath matchup.

“They’re just gritty,” Roberts said. “They’re tough. And they take on Murph’s personality. They’ve got some guys that can slug. They’ve got some athleticism. They really defend well. They can pitch well. So it’s like they’re going to be in every game. They’ve got complete buy-in, and so they’re hungry. So those things are components that are scary.”

When teams meet in postseason after sweep

The 2003 New York Yankees went 7-0 against Minnesota in the regular season and 3-1 against the Twins in the ALDS. Six years later, the Yankees went 7-0 against the Twins again in the regular season and swept them in the ALDS.

But the New York Mets swept the Chicago Cubs 4-0 in the 2015 NLCS despite going 0-7 against them during the regular season. And the 2007 Yankees went 6-0 in the regular season against Cleveland, which won their ALDS matchup 3-1.

San Francisco beat Kansas City in a seven-game 2014 World Series after going 0-3 again the Royals in the regular season. Detroit swept St. Louis in the 2006 regular season before getting swept by the Cardinals in the World Series.

Who's pitching?

Roberts said the Dodgers plan to start Blake Snell in the opener. Murphy didn't announce a Game 1 starter Sunday but mentioned the possibility of using an opener.

Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta and Los Angeles' Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 2 on Tuesday.

Ohtani’s hitting slump

Ohtani is expected to win his fourth MVP award after batting .282 with 55 homers and 102 RBIs in the regular season, but he went 1 for 18 with nine strikeouts in the Dodgers’ NL Division Series win over Philadelphia.

He homered three times in the Dodgers’ six meetings with the Brewers.

Roberts said he plans to have Ohtani pitch in one game this series. He added that Ohtani's hitting slump isn't the reason the Dodgers opted against having him pitch Game 1.

“I expect a different output from Shohei on the offensive side this series,” Roberts said. “But, yeah, pushing him back was no bearing on the offensive performance.”

Sasaki’s surge

The Brewers will be getting their first look at Dodgers rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki, who was injured for both of Los Angeles’ regular-season series with Milwaukee.

Sasaki has been spectacular in a bullpen role during the postseason. He has struck out five while allowing one hit and no walks in 5 1/3 shutout innings.

Brewers’ shot at revenge

Milwaukee was a win from a World Series appearance in 2018 before losing 5-1 at home to the Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS. This marks Milwaukee’s first NLCS berth since.

Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was the NL MVP during that 2018 season. The only other Brewers remaining from 2018 are pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Peralta. Woodruff isn’t expected to pitch in the NLCS as he deals with a right lat strain.

Who’s hot, who’s not

Jackson Chourio batted .389 with six RBIs in Milwaukee’s NLDS win over the Cubs, though he did much of his damage early in that series. Andrew Vaughn and William Contreras homered twice in the NLDS. Chad Patrick threw 4 2/3 shutout innings, while Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run over seven innings.

Milwaukee's Joey Ortiz batted .154. Turang homered in Game 5 but went 3 of 20 in the series.

Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández has hit .308 with three homers and nine RBIs in six playoff games. Mookie Betts is hitting .385 during the postseason. Snell is 2-0 and has allowed just two runs over 13 postseason innings. Tyler Glasnow threw 7 2/3 shutout innings in the NLDS.

Will Smith has gone 2 for 13 and Andy Pages is 1 of 24 in the playoffs.