Brewers seize 3-0 NLCS lead over Dodgers | NL Central roundup

The Milwaukee Brewers continue to set the pace this October while the rest of the NL Central watches from home. As their NLCS push gathers steam, the Pittsburgh Pirates are already under offseason scrutiny, and a pitching coach hire in Minnesota brushes up against the Reds’ orbit.

Brewers roll to 6-2 win and 3-0 NLCS edge

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Wednesday to take a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series. As reported by La Presse, Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell both homered off starter Blake Snell in the seventh inning, breaking the game open.

Fresh off a 103-59 regular season that earned them the NL Central crown, the Brewers are backing up that dominance in October. The Dodgers, however, are not being completely written off. CBS Sports notes that the defending champions, with a homer-happy lineup, a stacked rotation and Shohei Ohtani in the mix, need to win four of their next five games to turn the series around, even as that outlet frames their current situation as a 0-2 deficit. On the scoreboard, though, Milwaukee clearly holds a 3-0 advantage.

Pirates’ step forward still falls short of playoffs

For the Pittsburgh Pirates, the offseason begins with a mixed verdict. According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Pirates did take a step forward in 2026 but nonetheless missed the postseason for an 11th consecutive year. Their 82-80 final record left them in the middle of the NL Central pack and kept their October drought intact.

MLB Trade Rumors also points out that the Pirates are headed for a notable round of salary increases in arbitration and could lose one of the best bats on this winter’s free-agent market. Shortstop Konnor Griffin is listed among their guaranteed contracts, underscoring that payroll management will be a central storyline in Pittsburgh’s offseason.

Reds, Cubs and Cardinals quiet for now

For the Cincinnati Reds (75-87), the day’s news comes via another organization. MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Minnesota Twins have hired Brian Reith as their new pitching coach, after he spent the past five seasons in that role for the Rays’ Triple-A club in Durham. Reith has pitched in parts of three major league seasons, and this type of coaching move can indirectly shape the landscape of available staff options around the league, including for clubs like the Reds.

The Chicago Cubs (89-73) and St. Louis Cardinals (77-85) were idle on the news front. Even so, the NL Central remains part of the broader postseason conversation: the latest MLB Trade Rumors podcast delves into playoff storylines and the state of several franchises, including the Brewers, though no further specifics are provided.