Milwaukee Brewers' Pat Murphy faces a strategic puzzle, balancing power hitters Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers against the San Diego Padres' southpaw.
There are a trio of Milwaukee Brewers players who hit lefties extremely well, so it'll be a no-brainer for manager Pat Murphy to find a spot for them in the lineup.
Both Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn are on this list, so Murphy may have to get creative with how he works his Game 1 lineup.
Seeing as the San Diego Padres decided that left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray was going to be their series opening starter, that puts Bauers and Vaughn in a great spot to continue to rake alongside Jackson Chourio.
Those three players all have an OPS above .900 against lefties in 2026, and Gary Sanchez is a viable option as well with his .802 OPS.
Honorable Mention: Sanchez begins as designated hitter
William Contreras is going to be the catcher, and there's no debate in that regard. Obviously, Murphy knows he can't, or at least shouldn't, have Christian Yelich be in the lineup to start this game with Ray on the mound.
Sanchez is not a pinch-running option, so using him as the DH early in the game feels like a smart move. They'd be taking a risk removing their backup catcher so soon, but that may be a risk worth taking.
Will Chourio lead off?
The Brewers love moving players around in the lineup, but Chourio is always near, if not at, the very top. He has the best OPS against left-handed pitchers this season, and his .979 in that department won't go unrecognized.
A leadoff blast from Chourio is what dreams are made of, and that's something he absolutely could turn into a reality on Saturday, Oct. 3.
How to get both Bauers and Vaughn in the lineup
Vaughn had to play a few games at third base this season, but there's no shot he starts at that position in the playoffs unless this team is truly desperate.
First base is his primary position, but that means Bauers would have to be moved to the outfield. Are the Brewers fine with that in the playoffs?
Bauers has 39 at-bats as a left fielder this season and 84 ABs as a right fielder. With Chourio in left, that allows for Bauers to play in right, but pushes Sal Frelick or Luis Lara out of a spot.
Do the Brewers trust Garrett Mitchell enough to have him hit left-on-left? Probably. If not, Lara is their next best option in center field as he's a switch-hitter.
