Game 1 of the National League Division Series, pitting the Milwaukee Brewers against the San Diego Padres, got underway at American Family Field, with Milwaukee serving as the host for the 2026 postseason opener.

Heading into the 2025 postseason for the first time, Jacob Misiorowski carried regular-season form into the assignment. Milwaukee opened their 2025 postseason with a lopsided victory over the Chicago Cubs, sending nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, collecting five hits — three for extra bases — to build a six-run cushion before adding three more in the second and closing out a 9-3 result. The division-series appearance itself marked the sixth time the franchise had reached the National League's best-of-eight-team bracket and the eighth time overall in a best-of-five postseason format, a count that stretches back to the 1982 ALCS and the 1981 ALDS.

Three hits and three RBIs went into Jackson Chourio's final line for the game.

Dates and start times for the remaining contests were set as follows: Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. CT for Game 2; Oct. 6 at 8:30 p.m. CT in San Diego for Game 3; Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. CT in San Diego for Game 4, contingent on need; and Game 5, should it be required, penciled in for Oct. 9 at either 3:30 or 7 p.m. CT.

In the 2021 postseason meeting against Atlanta, Corbin Burnes held the Braves scoreless across six innings on just two hits, and a two-run shot off the bat of Rowdy Tellez in the bottom of the seventh provided the margin in a 2-1 Milwaukee victory that clinched the series three games to two. With a runner ninety feet away and the game on the line, Josh Hader retired the final batter to earn the save. Atlanta took that series four games to one.

The 2018 postseason encounter with Colorado unfolded differently — Milwaukee held a two-run lead heading into the ninth, only for Colorado to pull level by tagging Jeremy Jeffress for a pair of runs that wiped out the advantage. Facing an 0-2 count with two outs in the tenth and Christian Yelich already stationed at second base after a walk, Mike Moustakas punched a single through the infield to deliver Milwaukee the win. Milwaukee took that series three games to two.

Against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, Milwaukee took the series without dropping a game, with Yovani Gallardo carrying the pitching load across eight innings — surrendering a single run on four hits while recording nine strikeouts — and a two-run home run by Prince Fielder in the seventh inning extended the margin in what finished as a 4-1 victory for the club.

The 2008 matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies ended with Cole Hamels holding the Brewers to a pair of hits across eight innings, and their lone run came on a Ryan Braun double in the ninth off Brad Lidge. Philadelphia took a 3-1 win after Gallardo surrendered a bases-loaded walk to close out a third-inning stretch that had already produced three unanswered runs. Philadelphia claimed that series by a 3-1 margin.

The 1981 encounter against the New York Yankees turned at County Stadium when Oscar Gamble's two-run home run and a two-run double from Rick Cerone off Moose Haas in the fourth inning wiped out Milwaukee's 2-0 advantage, with the Brewers ultimately falling 5-3. In the 1982 ALCS against California, trailing 3-1 after Gorman Thomas connected for a two-run shot in the third inning, California's offense responded with four runs against Jim Slaton in that same frame, turning the contest around on the way to an 8-3 final. Tommy John pitched all nine innings for the Angels. Milwaukee took that series by a 3-2 margin.

On October 3, broadcaster Taryn Asher Fletcher handled coverage duties at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, where Wisconsin hosted Michigan State, in an assignment that also included work alongside the Big Ten Network. Her husband, Jake Cronenworth, plays second base for the San Diego Padres. Growing up in Milwaukee, Fletcher carries a family connection to the Brewers through her father, Scott Fletcher, who played shortstop for the club.

Prior to the opening game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy held a session with reporters. Explaining the decision to start Christian Yelich against a left-handed pitcher rather than Andrew Vaughn, Murphy pointed to Yelich's track record and the role he fills within the roster. Murphy noted that prior meetings between Yelich and the opposing pitcher had gone in Yelich's favour, and that Yelich's bat had been producing consistent contact over the past week or so.

Addressing whether Jacob Misiorowski might take on a role other than starting in the series, Murphy noted that any such decision would need to weigh the player's own preferences against what makes physical sense, particularly given the way Misiorowski throws. Murphy indicated the plan called for Misiorowski to throw in the bullpen that day, without the expectation of reaching 101 mph during the session.

Murphy noted that Joey Ortiz would be playing through some physical limitations rather than at full fitness, and the coaching staff expressed optimism that he would be fit to take part.

Murphy explained that Kyle Harrison's inclusion on the postseason roster came down to the absence of the extra-innings runner-on-second rule, which opens the door to games stretching well beyond the standard nine innings. Murphy stated the decision to include Harrison was based on his contributions to the team and his physical reach, attributes that he noted Brett Anderson did not possess to the same degree.

When asked about Jake Bauers' ability to play in the outfield, Murphy described the matter as a difficult one, expressing the view that, even at full fitness, deploying Bauers in the outfield while also using him at first base would be a difficult case to make. Murphy described the upcoming playoff matchups as a form of preparation, saying the two opponents lined up for the coming weeks would sharpen the team's readiness for a World Series run, though he acknowledged the earlier roster decision came down to weighing the defensive tradeoff against the risk of losing a player entirely.

Murphy expressed the view that those two clubs rank among the top teams in baseball. He added that defeating those two opponents would put a team in position to claim the title, while also noting respect for the Yankees, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Chicago.

The San Diego Padres sent the following players to the field: Fernando Tatis Jr. in right, Dustin Harris in left, Manny Machado at third base, Ty France at first, Jackson Merrill in center, Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, Ethan Salas behind the plate, Luis Campusano as the designated hitter, Jake Cronenworth at second, and left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound. A Padres player stated beforehand that the city, the fans, and the state were at the heart of what the team was playing for.

The Brewers' starting lineup featured Jackson Chourio in left field, Brice Turang at second base, William Contreras behind the plate, Jake Bauers at first base, Christian Yelich as designated hitter, Cooper Pratt at shortstop, Luis Lara in right field, Garrett Mitchell in center field, Joey Ortiz at third base, and Jacob Misiorowski as the starting pitcher.