Brewers Add Garrett Mitchell to NLCS Rematch Against Dodgers

Milwaukee's improved health and postseason contributions have strengthened the Brewers ahead of their National League Championship Series rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which begins Sunday night in Milwaukee. According to Spectrum News 1, outfielder Garrett Mitchell has become a key contributor after injuries sidelined him for much of his first four major league seasons and kept him out of last year's playoff run.

The Brewers enter the best-of-seven series seeking to respond to their four-game sweep by Los Angeles in the 2025 NLCS. A separate report from Yahoo Sports on October 12 highlights Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy's determination to win the opener, while the team's recent performances against the San Diego Padres offer additional evidence of its offensive depth.

Mitchell, 28, delivered a defining defensive play in Milwaukee's 3-1 victory over San Diego in Game 4 of the NL Division Series. In the eighth inning, he caught a fly ball from Manny Machado at the center-field wall, preventing a potential game-tying home run. He also went 2-for-4 and tripled before scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth inning.

His availability marks a substantial change from the previous postseason. Mitchell played only 25 games in 2025 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, and he had not appeared in more than 69 games during any of his first four major league seasons because of injuries affecting his shoulder, oblique and finger.

According to Spectrum News 1, Mitchell played 145 regular-season games in 2026, surpassing his combined total of 141 games from 2022 through 2025. He finished the season with a .262 batting average, a .354 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, 65 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

Mitchell described Milwaukee's mindset after clinching the Division Series against the Padres.

"I think we have a different type of confidence and belief in ourselves together as a team. It's just like a quiet, subtle confidence. It's not showboaty," Mitchell said.

Murphy had previously acknowledged that uncertainty surrounding Mitchell's health contributed to doubts about Milwaukee's prospects during the regular season. The manager said the outfielder's performance had exceeded expectations after several injury-affected years.

"He's been phenomenal, and no one could have predicted this, either," Murphy said. "When you're looking at our team, maybe the reason we didn't get picked early on to be as successful in the regular season was because the unknown about Mitchell. He had been injured for four years basically."

Christian Yelich, Milwaukee's designated hitter and captain, also emphasized the value of having Mitchell available throughout the season. The outfielder had already demonstrated his potential in limited appearances, recording 2.1 wins above replacement in 69 games in 2024 and hitting a decisive two-run homer in Game 2 of that year's NL Wild Card Series against the New York Mets.

"Obviously, everybody knew he was a super-talented player who could do everything on a baseball field," Yelich said. "I think people kind of got to see that this year with him being out there, what kind of contributions he's made to our team."

Mitchell's path to the major leagues also included managing Type 1 diabetes, which he was diagnosed with at age nine. He recalled that some people questioned whether the condition would affect his ability to withstand a full baseball season.

"In my mind, I took it more as kind of a sign of disrespect," Mitchell said. "If you know the person, if you know the player, if you watch me play, that's not the thing I think you worry about, because I've dealt with it for as long as I have."

He grew up watching outfielder Sam Fuld, who played in the majors from 2007 through 2015 while managing the same condition. Mitchell now hopes his career can encourage young athletes facing similar challenges.

"I'm just trying to show no matter what obstacles are in your way and whatever's thrown at you in your life, if you trust and believe in yourself, nothing can really stop you," Mitchell said.

The upcoming series also features a challenging pitching matchup. Yahoo Sports reported that Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal entered the NLCS with a 1.99 postseason ERA and 70 strikeouts. Against Milwaukee, he had recorded 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings, underscoring the difficulty facing the Brewers' lineup.

Milwaukee pursued Skubal before the August 2026 trade deadline, but the Dodgers ultimately acquired him, according to Yahoo Sports. His appearance against the team that sought to obtain him adds another dimension to the rematch.

Murphy made his competitive intentions clear before the opener, while acknowledging his personal regard for Skubal.

"I just want to step on his throat… mean that respectfully because I really like Tarik. I just want to beat them. That's it," Murphy said.

Milwaukee's offensive production could determine whether it can challenge the Dodgers. Yahoo Sports reported that the Brewers led Major League Baseball with 1,422 hits and a .341 on-base percentage during the 2026 regular season. They also scored 832 runs, the second-highest total in the league, despite hitting 154 home runs.

Jackson Chourio and William Contreras supplied important contributions in the Division Series against San Diego. Chourio drove in six of Milwaukee's 13 runs during the series and delivered a walk-off single in Game 2, producing a 4-3 victory and a 2-0 series lead. The hit increased his franchise postseason record for game-tying or go-ahead RBIs to eight.

Contreras hit two home runs against the Padres and went 3-for-4 in Game 3, although Milwaukee lost that contest 4-3. Yelich also ended a 19-game postseason RBI drought with a single in that game.

The Brewers scored 13 runs across four games against San Diego, but their 11-hit performance in the Game 3 loss produced no victory as they stranded 11 runners. Against Skubal, Milwaukee will need to convert scoring opportunities to keep pace with Los Angeles.

Former major league catcher Erik Kratz backed Milwaukee's chances, according to Yahoo Sports, while stressing the importance of offensive support for the pitching staff.

"The Brewers are gonna be the team that comes out on top," Kratz said.

Milwaukee's starting pitcher for the opener, Jacob Misiorowski, faces the challenge of matching Skubal as the Brewers begin their attempt to reverse last year's result. The Dodgers scored 15 runs across the 2025 NLCS sweep, while Milwaukee managed four.