Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays (1), 8:00 PM ET

MIL: Shane Drohan (7-5, 4.19 ERA, 95 DRA-)
TB: Griffin Jax (8-10, 3.53 ERA, 81 DRA-)

Drohan took the mound against the Dodgers in basically the same exact spot in the NLCS against the Dodgers. He lasted just an inning. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but rather probably trying too hard. The velocity on his fastballs was up two ticks; on his breaking balls, it was up three. This is like making a recipe and mistaking a teaspoon for a tablespoon. You don’t know it until you can’t feel your tongue.

For whatever it’s worth, he was trying to get a feel for the fastball, throwing a sinker for 14 of his 25 pitches (to go with three other four-seamers). He didn’t do that all year, which might provide some insight into how Milwaukee has planned for moments under a microscope in a matchup-driven setting. It’s unclear how long they’d have let him go. He hasn’t thrown more than four innings since early September, before he was moved from the rotation back to a pure relief role.

Jax is in a similar spot. Once he fully transitioned to the rotation, he was throwing as many as five or six innings per outing and facing up to 25 batters. The goal of the regular season is to get through it. The goal of the postseason is to not die while walking the thinnest, highest tightrope that can possibly be manufactured. His four innings of three-run ball against Cleveland nearly two weeks ago weren’t exactly a ringing endorsement. He leaned on the sinker in that appearance more than he has throughout the course of the season, but its use was in line with how he deployed it in the back half of September. Against the Guardians, he attacked righties with it but also wasn’t afraid to let it rip against lefties, either.

Each of these two last pitched on October 15. It’s been years since either of them threw anywhere near this many innings. They’re more or less openers at this point, even if Jax stands a chance to go longer. There are two reasons they’re listed as starters instead of pure bullpen games for both teams. One is that there is a whole section on relievers below. The other is that writing game previews like this is an exercise in hubris, and we all have to be humbled.