In NLCS, Dodgers see what money can’t buy: a bullpen such as Milwaukee’s

Key Points:

• The Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen has outperformed the Los Angeles Dodgers' despite the Dodgers spending $163 million on their relief pitchers over the past two years, with Milwaukee's relievers shutting down the Dodgers in the first two games of the National League Championship Series (NLCS).
• Milwaukee's bullpen has pitched 9 2/3 innings in the series, allowing only two hits and three walks, contributing to a 2-0 series lead, while the Dodgers' bullpen has given up four runs on nine hits in 9 1/3 innings.
• Brewers relievers, known for their high velocity and effective pitching, have maintained a stellar postseason performance with only one earned run in 28 2/3 innings, a feat rarely seen in playoff history.
• Dodgers players and manager acknowledge the Brewers' bullpen effectiveness and attribute their own struggles to the Brewers' ability to win key pitches despite having talented arms themselves.
• Brewers manager Pat Murphy emphasizes strategic bullpen usage to minimize hitters' familiarity with pitchers, which has contributed to their success, highlighting that in baseball, effective bullpen performance isn't solely determined by financial investment.