Why Padres need to look out for Brewers' Jackson Chourio in NLDS

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Padres need to look out for Brewers' Jackson Chourio in NLDS

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Oct 2, 2026 8:20 PM ET

The San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers are set to face one another in the National League Division Series (NLDS) on Saturday, and Jackson Chourio is a young star that the Padres need to look out for.

The Padres shouldn't be fooled by Chourio's age (22), as the left fielder has emerged as an elite superstar with dominant power, speed and postseason resilience.

His game-changing abilities as a postseason threat are something that the Padres need to keep in check. History has shown how he is built for October baseball, boasting a stellar .341 batting average, a 1.044 OPS, four home runs, and 11 RBI across 12 career postseason games.

Chourio also finished the regular season, slashing an impressive .291/.351/.487 with 25 home runs and 23 stolen bases. His dominance led him to be the first player in MLB history to record three 20-20 seasons before turning 23, showcasing how age is just a number and how he's a scoring threat.

"Jackson Chourio is the player my eyes are going to be on..."@CY24_7 breaks down the @Brewers' 22-year-old star that will look to lead the way in October. pic.twitter.com/Du83sYuyVN
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 2, 2026

Jackson Chourio's postseason dominance looks to be tested against Padres

Chourio is currently tied for the most playoff home runs in Brewers franchise history, continuing to help drive the team's offensive output. His track record speaks for itself, with a three-run shot in the 2024 NLDS as well as a leadoff homer in the 2025 NLCS.

Chourio comes into the 2026 NLDS with red-hot momentum, as he anchored the Brewers offense in September, hitting .337/.389/.531 with five home runs, 18 RBI and nine stolen bases.

But what also makes Chourio so lethal at the plate is his ability to dominate with the fastball. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Chourio logged a .767 slugging percentage against fastballs across the last two months of the regular season. If Padres pitchers fall behind him in the count, they will be pressured to throw him fastballs, where he has the prime opportunity to put his clutch skills in action.

The Padres and Brewers have yet to face each other in the postseason, and the Padres are coming off a scorching NL Wild Card series, sweeping the Chicago Cubs. Both Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong shockingly went 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts and one walk against the Padres.

But the Padres will also be up against flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1, who led the league with a remarkable 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts. Whether Chuorio and the Brewers can stand the heat from Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets, whose stellar performances led the Padres to triumph over the Cubs.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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