Dodgers News: Brewers to Be Without Key Player for Wild Card, Potential NLDS in LA

A big blow to their chance to advance.

The Dodgers still await their divisional opponent this weekend but a potential series between them and Milwaukee just became more unlikely amidst recent news. 

Brewers manager Craig Counsell announced on Monday that key starter Brandon Woodruff could miss the entire postseason due to a shoulder issue in a devastating reveal. 

Craig Counsell said Brandon Woodruff is out for the wild-card series with a right shoulder capsular injury.

"His availability for the postseason is up in the air at this point," Counsell said.

What horrible news for Woodruff and the Brewers.

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) October 2, 2023

LA and Milwaukee are quite familiar with one another in the postseason due to their October clashes in recent seasons. 

The Brewers and Dodgers faced off in a 2018 NLCS thriller that went the distance and came down to an exciting seven-game finish. 

Woodruff pitched well in his first series against LA and got the win over Clayton Kershaw in the opener of the classic series. 

Dodger fans might also painfully remember when Woodruff hit a home run off of Kershaw in that game back before the universal DH rule wasn't the norm. 

Kershaw rebounded in game 5 of the series after he outdueled Woodruff to send the series back to Wisconsin with LA ahead three games to two. 

Both men pitched in the seventh and final game of the series on short rest, but it was Kershaw who stood on the mound for the final out and eventual World Series berth. 

The 2020 season gave both pitchers another playoff series against one another and LA proved dominant once again. 

Kershaw threw eight innings and dominated Milwaukee en route to finishing the job in Texas for their first World Series since 1988. 

Milwaukee's path to a third series in recent history against LA became a lot more challenging and now opens the door for Arizona to face their divisional rival. 

Chavez Ravine welcomes either opponent this Saturday and the Dodgers will face whoever emerges from the dust. 

Whether it's the Snakes or the Brew Crew, Dave Roberts' crew knows not to mess around with their championship quest in 2023.