While much has been made of a formidable Milwaukee Brewers bullpen, the group has endured plenty of struggles against the Los Angeles Dodgers thus far in the National League Championship Series. Jeremy Jeffress has been at the center of it through the first two games of the series.
In Game 1, he inherited a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the eighth inning. Milwaukee held a comfortable 6-1 lead, but Jeffress allowed a two-run single to Manny Machado followed by an RBI base hit to Matt Kemp before putting out the threat.
He followed that up by squandering a 3-1 lead over one-plus inning of work in Game 2. Jeffress again entered with traffic on the bases, Max Muncy walked and Machado singled to open the seventh inning.
A bloop single to shallow right field loaded the bases, and Jeffress walked Austin Barnes with one out to bring a run in. He momentarily preserved the Brewers’ lead by getting Yasmani Grandal to ground into an inning-ending double play.
However, that was negated when Justin Turner took Jeffress deep for a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning. Following the rocky appearance, the fiery right-hander said Turner and the Dodgers simply “got lucky.” Naturally, his remarks caused quite a stir.
Jeffress later attempted to offer more context and clarify what he meant on Twitter:
To set things straight. One lost doesn’t define my ability. And a homerun is never lucky. I was referring to the cheap hits before. Everyone are professionals here. Except the ones who criticize. Thanks have a blessed day
— Jeremy Jeffress (@JMontana41) October 14, 2018
The hits Jeffress alluded to in his social media post presumably are Pederson’s blooper that fell and Chris Taylor’s swinging a bunt that set up Turner’s home run. Although he attempted to explain, Jeffress presumably will receive a harsh greeting at Dodger Stadium.
Though, considering he’s pitched in each of the first two NLCS games, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Jeffress is not seen until Game 4 on Tuesday.
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