▲ MLB's Milwaukee Brewers advance to the World Series for the first time in 44 years
The Los Angeles Dodgers' bid for a third consecutive Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series title has fallen short.
The Dodgers suffered a 6-4 comeback defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS, best-of-seven) held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on October 16 (KST).
The Dodgers were eliminated in a shocking four-game sweep.
The Dodgers' quest to become the first team to win three straight titles in 26 years since the New York Yankees (1998–2000), and only the fifth in history, came to an abrupt end in 2026.
Milwaukee, whose total payroll ($125 million) is merely 40 percent of the Dodgers' ($322 million), exacted sweet revenge one year after being swept by the Dodgers in last year's NLCS, advancing to the World Series for the first time in 44 years.
Founded in 1969, the Brewers captured their second league pennant, also marking 44 years since they claimed the American League title in 1982.
This is their first league championship title since moving to the National League Central in 1998.
With Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, mired in a severe batting slump, returning to the leadoff and designated hitter role after batting sixth the previous day, the Dodgers, facing elimination, drew first blood.
In the second inning, with runners on first and third with one out following two hits, Andy Pages drove in the opening run with a single up the middle.
With runners on first and second with two outs, Ohtani blasted a massive three-run home run to right-center field, extending the lead to 4-0.
It was Ohtani's first home run of this postseason.
However, the Brewers quickly tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth on a ground-rule double by Jake Bauers, followed by an RBI single from David Hamilton and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Bauers in the fifth.
Milwaukee seized the lead in the sixth with a solo home run to center field by Garrett Mitchell and sealed the victory in the ninth with a solo shot to right-center by Hamilton.
The Dodgers managed 8 hits and drew 2 walks, but went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, sealing their own elimination.
With the departure of the "New Evil Empire" Dodgers, this year's World Series title will be claimed by a small-market team for the first time in 11 years, since the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
The Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays, battling in the American League Championship Series (ALCS, best-of-seven), are also small-market teams pursuing high efficiency on a low budget, much like Milwaukee.
Milwaukee will host Game 1 of the World Series against the winner of the ALCS at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 24.
Cleveland secured a 3-2 comeback victory over Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the ALCS at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
In MLB postseason history under the current best-of-seven format, teams winning Game 3 of a series tied at 1-1 have gone on to win the series 70 percent of the time (71 out of 102 series).
Cleveland lost the lead in the fourth inning when Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson hit a two-run triple with the Guardians leading 1-0.
However, Cleveland bounced back in the bottom of the fifth when Petey Halpin launched a go-ahead two-run home run to right-center field, holding on to win the game.
Cleveland closer Cade Smith pitched 1 and 1/3 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts to earn the save. He has appeared in 19 of Cleveland's 21 postseason games since 2024, anchoring the bullpen.
His career postseason statistics stand at 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 hold, 2 saves, and a 2.01 ERA.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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