The Brewers’ postseason hopes took a gut punch after their 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in NLCS Game 2. What was once a resilient offense has quickly become silent at the worst possible time, and Christian Yelich knows it all. 

The Brewers managed just five hits across nine innings, a devastating downfall for a clubhouse that ranked among the NL’s toughest when it came to producing runs. Yelich, the franchise’s emotional leader, did not shy away from accountability. “We’re just looking for that one where it kind of clicks,” he acknowledged.

Yet, USA Today’s Nancy Armour cautioned, “Time is running out,” perfectly outlining Milwaukee’s perilous position. Down 0-2, their margin for error has evaporated.

The boiling point came when the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a complete game, the first in eight years during the postseason, seizing Milwaukee’s bats. They had no runners in scoring position on Tuesday.

Yelich himself is 0-for-7 in the NLCS, and his struggles symbolize the team, which is unable to find its rhythm. “I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to figure it out,” Yelich stated, acknowledging his failure after a 29-homer, 103-RBI regular season. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has gotten only two runs and five hits in the last 2 games against LA.

Pat Murphy echoed the same concerns as Yelich, highlighting how the team has lost its offensive power. “We chased way more than we’ve chased all year,” the manager pointed out. That takes us back to their sweep of the Dodgers in the regular season. In those 6 games, they tagged LA for 31 runs, and even ran Yamamoto off before he could get through an inning. 

“We’ve been the best in baseball at not chasing. These pitchers brought out the worst in us. Offensively, you’ve got to grind out at-bats. That’s been our forte. … Sometimes great pitching brings out the worst in you,” Murphy added, focusing more on the Dodgers’ pitching excellence.

Now, fans can just hope that the manager’s belief in the team’s fight does not end as quickly as the Brewers’ bats have.

The team has rebounded before. The Brewers began the season with a four-game skid, just to string together 14 consistent wins later on, setting a new franchise record. However, the stakes are higher now, and the rivals are tougher. If Yelich and the other stars do not reidentify their soar quickly, their time may actually run out.

While Yelich’s confession highlighted the Brewers’ offensive issues, manager Pat Murphy’s reaction carried a very distinctive tone.

Murphy’s defiant statement to those counting the Brewers out

As the team finds itself trailing 0-2 in the NLCS, Pat Murphy is not ready to wave the flight flag. Speaking with conviction, Murphy faced critics, reminding all that the team’s resilience has defined the Brewers all year. “The one thing is you guys might have us counted out,” the manager stated. “But this team has been counted out a lot this year. And I think there’s some fight left in them.”

Murphy’s optimism is underpinned by facts.

He knows data is not on Milwaukee’s side. “90 percent of the teams that have been in this situation don’t win the series.” Yet, his belief in the group remains unwavering.

“I still like our team,” Murphy added. “Ten times this year we’ve won four in a row, so that’s also a possibility.” His message to those questioning the Brewers was clear: It is not over until it’s over.

With Game 3 looming in Los Angeles, Murphy’s rallying cry might be exactly what Milwaukee required to turn deflation into defiance.

Despite trailing 0-2 in the NLCS and facing a daunting Dodgers rotation, the Brewers remain a clubhouse built on resilience and fight. Christian Yelich’s struggles underscore the urgency, but Pat Murphy’s unwavering belief reflects that Milwaukee is not ready to fold.