This year's National League Championship Series features a true clash of titans.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back World Series champions aiming to become the first team to win three straight titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. The Milwaukee Brewers are the best team in baseball with 103 wins in the regular season and a league-best run differential of plus-214. Throw in the headline-grabbing payroll and market-size disparities between the two teams, and you've got a compelling matchup of last year's NLCS that's also rich in subplots.
To set the scene for what figures to be a thriller of a series, CBS Sports' baseball experts are here to make their picks for the Dodgers-Brewers duel that begins Sunday night in Milwaukee. You'll find those predictions just below.
Brewers vs. Dodgers
Axisa: The Brewers are better than last year and the Dodgers are worse than last year, but I still think the Dodgers are more dangerous in a short postseason series. There is so much power throughout the lineup and big swings win you games in the postseason. Maybe the Brewers can be the exception (they have hit for much more power the last few weeks), but I always lean toward the offense better able to hit the ball out of the park. The Dodgers have the rotation advantage as well, particularly once you get to the No. 3 and 4 starters, and that matters now that we're in best-of-seven territory. Dread it, run from it, the Dodgers arrive all the same. Pick: Dodgers in 6
Feldman: I think this is going to be a tight series, but it's all going to come down to the pitching and the Dodgers just outduel the Brewers, even with a 1-2 punch of Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. Los Angeles still isn't getting much (if anything) from Shohei Ohtani and yet they keep winning anyway. And as always, power wins in October. Pick: Dodgers in 6
McWilliams: What the Brewers do in the regular season is impressive, no doubt, but October is a different sport. Give them Game 1 with Jacob Misiorowski. After that, it's hard to see a path. The Dodgers roll out elite arms and a lineup that punishes any mistake. Milwaukee's offense grinds, puts balls in play and steals runs, but they were 28th in homers. In the postseason, power is what plays. That's the separator for Los Angeles. Pick: Dodgers in 5
Perry: This one obviously has the makings of a classic, and no outcome would be truly shocking. The Dodgers have a definite edge in the rotation, at least on paper, but the Brewers' front end, of course, compares quite favorably. Milwaukee has the edge in the bullpen, but the Dodgers have more power in their lineup. That latter point is key, since power rules in the playoffs. The Brewers have been trending upward in home run power for some time. On the L.A. side, the struggling Shohei Ohtani is a major unknown right now because of his knee issues. To me, this plus home-field advantage gives the Brewers a narrow edge. Pick: Brewers in 7
Snyder: The Brewers were dominated by the Dodgers' rotation last season, but the offense is a bit more capable this time around behind budding superstar Jackson Chourio. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani is clearly compromised on the Dodgers' side. Plus, Milwaukee has Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson capable of throwing like aces and that's something that wasn't the case last year. With things a bit closer both in the rotation and on offense, the Brewers being better on defense and doing the "little things" is what swings this one. Also, their late-inning vibes are off the charts, so I'll say they walk it off in Game 7. Why not? That would be great fun. Pick: Brewers in 7
