The Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers will square off in the best-of-three National League Wild Card Series, which begins Tuesday evening. Milwaukee will host every game of this series since the Brewers won the NL Central and the D-backs are a wild-card club. It is a best-of-three match. Two victories advance you to the Division Series against the Dodgers.
It wasn’t until August 3 that the Brewers gained exclusive possession of first place. The D-Backs were top for 66 days, but they had to settle for a wild-card slot, and they begin October with a minus-14 run differential. Arizona, like this year’s Miami Marlins, is one of just 11 teams in history to make the playoffs after being outscored throughout the regular season.
The whole postseason schedule can be seen here, while the 2023 playoff bracket can be found here. Let’s move on to the crucial things for Game 1.
Brewers vs. D-Backs schedule
- Game 1: Brewers vs. D-Backs, 7:08 p.m. ET
- Game 2: Brewers vs. D-Backs, 7:08 p.m. ET
- Game 3*: Brewers vs. D-Backs, 3:08 p.m. ET or 4:38 p.m. ET or 7:08 p.m. ET
How to watch Game 1
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 3 | Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
Location: American Family Field (Milwaukee)
TV channel: ESPN2 | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
Starting pitchers: RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-9, 5.72 ERA) vs. RHP Corbin Burnes (10-8, 3.39 ERA)
Preview
The D-backs did not get a chance to arrange their rotation since they did not win a playoff place until the second-to-last day of the regular season, therefore Pfaadt will start Game 1. The rookie righty started the season as one of the game’s best pitching prospects, and he was brilliant at moments this summer, despite a terrible overall body of work. The pitching battle seems to be highly skewed, and the Brewers would be smart to capitalise with Zac Gallen lurking in Game 2. This is especially true with Brandon Woodruff out with a shoulder injury.
Prediction
On paper, the pitching battle is so lopsided that I predict the D-Backs will win by approximately ten runs. A traditional trap game. But I’m not going there. I believe the Burnes-Pfaadt matchup goes as expected, and Milwaukee wins Game 1 at home.
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