By Tiffany Williams –
Milwaukee looked ready for October. Jackson Chourio, Freddy Peralta, and a lineup built for contact, speed, and pressure reminded the baseball world why the Brewers finished with the majors’ third-best scoring attack during the regular season despite a lack of home-run power. Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Cubs was a masterclass in execution, and Milwaukee’s 9-3 victory Saturday night made one thing clear: the Brewers are not playing around.
Chourio set the tone immediately. By the second inning, he became the first player in playoff history with three hits in the first two innings of a game. His two-run single capped a six-run first inning, a sequence that saw Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Sal Frelick all reach with hard-hitting doubles and relentless baserunning. Freddy Peralta delivered the kind of steady performance Milwaukee needs in October: 5 2/3 innings, nine strikeouts, and only two earned runs. That strikeout total tied Don Sutton, Yovani Gallardo, and Brandon Woodruff for a Brewers’ single-game playoff record.
The Cubs, despite solo home runs from Michael Busch, Ian Happ, and Nico Hoerner, were overwhelmed by Milwaukee’s pressure. Boyd, coming off just three days’ rest after pitching in the Wild Card Series, couldn’t match Milwaukee’s intensity. Aaron Civale and Ben Brown threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout relief, but by then the damage was done. Milwaukee’s lineup, which had struggled late in the regular season and in past postseasons, showed no hesitation, no nerves, and no fear.
The first-inning explosion was more than just offense; it was a psychological statement. The Brewers had scored four runs or fewer in nine of their last regular-season games and gone 2-11 in their past 13 playoff outings. This six-run eruption wasn’t just a win—it was a rebuke of history and self-doubt, the kind of confidence that can carry a team deep into October. Chourio’s exit with hamstring tightness was the only blemish on a night that suggested the Brewers’ contact-oriented approach—line drives, doubles, aggressive baserunning—is tailor-made for October success.
Meanwhile, north of the border, the Toronto Blue Jays delivered a long-awaited playoff exclamation point, demolishing the Yankees 10-1 in Game 1 of the AL Division Series. Alejandro Kirk became the first Mexican-born player to hit two homers in a postseason game, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr., often criticized for postseason struggles, went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Nathan Lukes, Andrés Giménez, and the rest of Toronto’s lineup combined for 14 hits, snapping a seven-game postseason losing streak stretching back to 2016.
Kevin Gausman, starting for Toronto, set the tone. Five-plus innings, one run allowed, four hits—efficient, dominant, and methodical. Meanwhile, New York’s Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs before exiting. Once the Yankees bullpen entered, chaos ensued: five relievers allowed eight runs over 5 1/3 innings. The lone bright spot was Camilo Doval, who pitched two scoreless frames. Beyond that, New York’s stars—Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton—struggled to deliver in the clutch, leaving the game to Toronto’s balanced attack.
Toronto’s offensive approach mirrored Milwaukee’s in its timing and execution. Guerrero’s first-inning solo homer was textbook postseason pressure: a two-out drive that set the stage for the Blue Jays’ offensive barrage. Kirk’s first-pitch homer in the second and his four-run eighth inning were not flukes—they were the product of a lineup that had mastered timing and leverage during the regular season, capitalizing on pitchers’ mistakes and maintaining relentless focus. Home-field advantage proved decisive: Toronto went 54-27 at home this year, and that dominance translated directly to playoff intensity.
In Detroit, the Tigers and Mariners provided the kind of tension only postseason baseball can deliver. Zach McKinstry’s RBI single in the 11th inning, a perfectly executed groundball off Carlos Vargas’ 99.6 mph sinker, secured a 3-2 victory for Detroit. Kerry Carpenter, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth, reminded everyone why the Tigers’ resurgence down the stretch was no fluke. Seattle had opportunities, but Julio Rodríguez’s solo homer in the fourth and Cal Raleigh’s three singles were not enough. Postseason baseball doesn’t reward performance alone; it rewards timing, execution, and resilience, all areas where Detroit eked out the win.
Analyzing these first-round games reveals a common theme: October baseball is not about home runs alone. Milwaukee scored six in the first without a homer. Toronto’s offense combined patience, precision, and timing to dismantle the Yankees’ pitching staff. Detroit survived a tense extra-inning game thanks to situational hitting and bullpen management. The lesson is clear: small-ball, strategic baserunning, clutch pitching, and disciplined approaches to at-bats matter more than ever when the postseason magnifies every error.
Freddy Peralta’s performance is emblematic of Milwaukee’s approach: rely on pitching depth, keep hitters off balance, and protect leads aggressively. Meanwhile, Chourio’s early brilliance sets a tone that cannot be ignored. Toronto showed that experience and momentum can overturn years of playoff frustration. The Yankees, despite their star power, are a cautionary tale: no lineup, no matter how talented, can survive a postseason without depth, timing, and strategic execution. Detroit’s marathon with Seattle reinforced that even marginal teams with focus and execution can compete when postseason pressure tests the mental and physical limits of their opponents.
Looking ahead, Game 2s will be crucial. Milwaukee will need to manage Chourio’s hamstring, continue Peralta’s dominance, and maintain the relentless offensive pressure that has defined their season. Toronto faces Max Fried, a three-time All-Star, and must convert their momentum into a series lead. Detroit faces Luis Castillo, a pitcher with a 1.83 postseason ERA, while Seattle will look to regain composure and find consistency in timely hitting. The stakes could not be higher: best-of-five series leave no room for off nights.
This weekend’s results serve as a reminder of the beauty—and brutality—of October baseball. Records, regular-season dominance, and star power mean little when execution falters. Milwaukee, Toronto, and Detroit all demonstrated the discipline, strategy, and mental toughness needed to thrive in a postseason landscape where every pitch, swing, and defensive play carries amplified significance. The postseason is a crucible, and early returns suggest that the teams that combine preparation, timing, and unshakable focus will rise.
The narrative is unfolding fast. Milwaukee’s balance of contact and speed, Toronto’s home-field momentum and clutch hitting, and Detroit’s resilience in extra innings all underscore the unpredictability of playoff baseball. Every at-bat, every inning, every pitch can shift the momentum, and these first-round games have already provided a stark warning: teams cannot rely on stars alone. Preparation, depth, and situational execution are paramount.
If this weekend is any indication, the 2025 MLB postseason will reward the prepared, the disciplined, and the fearless. Milwaukee’s six-run first, Toronto’s home-powered explosion, and Detroit’s extra-inning tenacity aren’t just wins—they’re statements. October baseball is about strategy as much as power, precision as much as luck, and the teams that understand this equation have already drawn the first maps on the road to the World Series.
Sports Insider Daily 