Heading into Game 5 of the NLCS, we figured that the Milwaukee Brewers would have starting pitcher Wade Miley on a tight leash. But even this seems excessive.
Miley walked Los Angeles Dodgers lead-off hitter Cody Bellinger. That was all that Craig Counsell needed to see, as he went out to get Miley afterwards.
It’s not that we can’t understand any of the logic here. Counsell essentially treated Miley like a short-reliever, creating a lefty-on-lefty matchup against a dangerous hitter to start the game. With a stream of right-handed hitters following Bellinger in the lineup, he went to right-hander Brandon Woodruff. Miley will still be available for Game 6.
That all makes sense. The problem is that the Brewers and Dodgers played for 13 innings on Tuesday. Now, less than 24 hours later, Counsell is again asking his bullpen to get all 27 outs in the game.
Twitter had some thoughts about this.
Wade Miley pitching like #MILvsLAD pic.twitter.com/9eS9l1M9yY
— On Time AK (@AK47_Studios) October 17, 2018
Wade Miley is out of the game, presumably to return for Game 6?
Here comes Brandon Woodruff.
Modern baseball: It could happen anywhere, but you can only find it here.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) October 17, 2018
Uhh. Wade Miley is done after one batter — a lead-off walk.
I'm very confused.
— blake richardson (@rblakerich_) October 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/s45149e/status/1052672976976367616
Wade Miley after facing literally one batter: pic.twitter.com/xbN3x17p6O
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) October 17, 2018
This will certainly be a talking point when Game 5 is over, though it’s been reported he will start Game 6 as well after being pulled.