Milwaukee comes in with the opposite problem. The Brewers haven't played since closing the regular season with a sweep of the Cardinals, so this is a lineup that's been off for most of a week facing a staff that just played meaningful games. Rested arms against cold bats is the standard bye-round question, and Game 1 is where the answer shows up. Pat Murphy has already said Logan Henderson starts Game 2, so the Brewers have their front 2 lined up exactly the way they wanted.
The records don't hide anything. Milwaukee won its last 5 to finish 103-59, and San Diego has won 4 straight, the last 2 against Chicago. The Padres finished 12 games behind the Brewers in the standings, though, and in a short series the bigger concern for them is the 3rd-best arm than the overall win total. In a short series, that gap matters most when the other side's Game 1 starter is the presumptive Cy Young winner.
Both clubs are working around holes. San Diego is without Ramon Laureano and Luis Rengifo in the outfield. Miguel Andujar was taking live at-bats on his way back from a wrist injury, and Sheets is playing on a bad foot. Milwaukee's rotation depth already took hits from Brandon Woodruff's shoulder and Quinn Priester's season-ending surgery. Joey Ortiz (knee) and Andrew Vaughn (illness) are the 2 to watch when lineups post. Vaughn was cleared for a full team workout, and Ortiz was held out of the regular-season finale.