To kick off the 2025 post season, the Milwaukee Brewers got to bypass the Wild Card Series, while the Chicago Cubs played three games against the San Diego Padres. For the Brewers, one advantage of this schedule is that their manager Pat Murphy won't have any bullpen restrictions in Game 1, while opposing skipper Craig Counsell will be dealing with a taxed staff, especially when it comes to his high-leverage guys.
The Chicago Cubs' high-leverage arms saw heavy usage prior to their NLDS showdown against the Milwaukee Brewers
During their three-game series against the Padres, the Cubs leaned heavily on key bullpen arms.