Brewers Lead Dodgers as MLB Championship Series Continue

The 2026 MLB Championship Series continued Monday, Oct. 12, with the Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers in NLCS Game 2 and the Tampa Bay Rays facing the Cleveland Guardians in ALCS Game 1. The four remaining teams are competing for spots in the World Series, according to MLB.com and ESPN.

Milwaukee entered Game 2 with a 1-0 series lead after defeating Los Angeles 2-1 in the NLCS opener on Sunday, Oct. 11. The Brewers won behind timely offense and a strong bullpen performance, according to jsonline.com.

The Dodgers turned to Yoshinobu Yamamoto as their starting pitcher after losing the opening game. MLB.com reported that Yamamoto previously delivered a standout postseason performance in a Game 2 NLCS situation at American Family Field.

MLB.com noted that Los Angeles had not trailed 2-0 in a playoff series since the 2023 NL Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the last postseason series the team lost.

Milwaukee starter Logan Henderson faced the Dodgers in Game 2, while ESPN reported that the Brewers produced a key third-inning rally after Jake Bauers drew a 12-pitch walk to load the bases and Christian Yelich delivered a two-run single.

The Dodgers briefly moved ahead in the game after several hard-hit balls against Henderson and a defensive error, ESPN reported. The matchup continued as Los Angeles attempted to even the best-of-seven series.

The American League Championship Series began with the Rays hosting the Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays advanced after sweeping the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series, while the Guardians reached the ALCS after beating the Chicago White Sox in five games, according to jsonline.com.

Cleveland entered the series led by José Ramírez, who recovered from a difficult season after missing more than a month following surgery on his left hamate bone. MLB.com reported that Ramírez contributed 35 percent of the Guardians' RBIs during their final three AL Division Series victories.

Tampa Bay opened the ALCS with Drew Rasmussen as its starting pitcher. MLB.com reported Rasmussen posted a 2.67 ERA across 172 innings during the regular season, with a 0.91 WHIP and a 5.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

MLB.com also reported that Rasmussen went 9-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 12 second-half starts. The Rays and Guardians series was scheduled to continue with Game 2 on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Tropicana Field, according to jsonline.com.