Brewers NLCS sweep may not mean World Series championship

The Milwaukee Brewers made history on Thursday night.

The Brewers defeated the Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NLCS, their fourth consecutive comeback victory of the series. That win made the Brewers the second franchise to capture the American League (1982) and National League pennants, joining the Houston Astros (NL: 2005, AL: 2017, 2019, 2021-22). The Brewers' victory also marked the 10th time that a team has swept the LCS since the series moved to a seven-game format in 1985.

The sweep may be where the good news ends. Teams that have swept the LCS are 2-7 in the World Series, with the 2019 Washington Nationals and 2025 Dodgers taking home the championship. Both of those series went to seven games.

Milwaukee Brewers looking to buck history following NLCS sweep

Recent history may be on the Brewers side. Although teams sweeping the LCS have historically struggled in the World Series, the 2019 Nationals and the 2025 Dodgers were the last two teams to do so. The Brewers also rode their bullpen hard to get this far with Milwaukee relievers combining for 40.2 innings over their eight postseason games.

On paper, this break is exactly what the Brewers need. They can rest their bullpen while setting up the rotation for the World Series. The question then becomes how much rust will set in, especially if the ALCS lasts for seven games as the Rays and Guardians would play four games since the Brewers' victory. 

The Brewers proved their resiliency in sweeping the Dodgers. Now they have to find a way to keep that momentum going into the World Series.