Postseason FAQ: What's next for Brewers?

For the seventh time in the past eight years, the Brewers will play in the postseason.

Here’s a look at some of the questions ahead:

What could the postseason roster look like?
After playing with a 28-man roster in September, teams revert to 26 players with a maximum of 13 pitchers in each round of the postseason -- though in the early rounds, few clubs carry the maximum pitchers. Rosters are due the morning of Game 1 of each round.

C: William Contreras, Danny Jansen
1B: Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers, Rhys Hoskins
2B: Brice Turang
3B: Caleb Durbin
SS: Joey Ortiz, Andruw Monasterio
OF: Blake Perkins, Jackson Chourio, Isaac Collins, Sal Frelick, Christian Yelich
SP: Freddy Peralta, Quinn Priester, Brandon Woodruff
RP: Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Nick Mears, Grant Anderson, Rob Zastryzny, Jacob Misiorowski

Who is eligible for the postseason roster?
Generally speaking, any player who was on the 40-man roster or 60-day injured list as of noon on Sept. 1 is eligible for the postseason. But there’s a loophole.

A player who doesn't meet that criteria can still be added to a team's postseason roster via petition to the Commissioner's Office -- if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation. Essentially, that means any player who was in the organization as of Aug. 31 -- say, the recently reacquired Luis Urías -- is eligible should a need arise. A full explanation is available in our MLB.com glossary.

What are the question marks in that roster projection?
There are many, starting with the breakdown of pitchers versus hitters, something club officials have already been discussing. At the moment, it seems they will go with a 12-pitcher, 14-hitter alignment. That could change.

The rotation for a best-of-five series is also up for debate. Peralta, Woodruff, Priester, Misiorowski and Jose Quintana are currently lined up in that order, but an opponent loaded with left-handed bats could impact things for, say, Priester. Picking the right use of Misiorowski is also a huge question mark. Will he be utilized as a multi-inning relief weapon, even though that’s an unfamiliar role? Or will he stay at the front of games, either as a bona fide starter or in a short burst like a multi-inning opener. On Misiorowski alone, Brewers coaches and officials could spend days debating the right plan.

Health will also play a role, of course. Our projection includes right-handers Megill and Mears and left-hander Hall, even though all of them are on the injured list. Megill and Mears are much closer to returning, though Hall is playing catch and has a chance. If he’s healthy, Hall could look really good on the roster as a potential opener ahead of Priester, a gambit the Brewers employed multiple times during the regular season.

Left out for the opening round is Quintana, a steady starter for much of the regular season. He would come into play should the team advance to a best-of-seven series.

On the position player side, outfielder Brandon Lockridge was the most difficult omission, since his speed on the basepaths and defense in the outfield make him the sort of player particularly valuable in the postseason. The Brewers could easily decide to leave off a bat -- Hoskins? -- in favor of Lockridge as a pinch-running specialist.

When do the playoffs start?
The NL and AL Wild Card Series are best-of-three from Sept. 30-Oct. 2, but the Brewers, after being eliminated in that round each of the past two seasons, hope to have no part of that. The Division Series round begins Oct. 4 for both leagues. You’ll find the most up-to-date information about schedules and potential matchups at MLB.com/postseason.

When do postseason tickets go on sale?
Soon. When they do go on sale, fans who purchase tickets to first-round games will get the first opportunity to buy tickets for the next round should the Brewers advance.

What time is the game?
Every year, this is the most-asked question right ahead of, “What happens if it rains?” Our advice remains the same: Be patient and be flexible. Major League Baseball typically does not set the schedule until the full slate of matchups is set, which sometimes makes things tricky for fans traveling great distances to games. That’s just part of the thrill of October.

The moment times are set, you’ll find all the information you need at MLB.com/postseason.

What does the regular season tell us about potential foes?
Here are the Brewers’ records and run differentials against the teams in playoff contention:

Cubs: 6-7, -4
Dodgers: 6-0, +15
Giants: 2-5, -4
Mets: 4-2, +5
Padres: 1-2, -2 (one series remaining)
Phillies: 4-2, +16
Reds: 7-3, +13

Astros: 2-1, -3
Blue Jays: 2-1, +4
Guardians: 1-2, -3
Mariners: 2-1, +13
Rangers: 0-3, -9
Red Sox: 3-0, +6
Tigers: 2-1, +1
Yankees: 0-3, -22

Are there any injuries that could impact plans?
Things can change quickly, but at the moment there has been more good news than bad on the injury front. Yelich was able to navigate some back soreness without a stint on the IL, and his first series back at Texas was marked by a lot of loud contact. Chourio looks to be getting his legs under him again after missing a month with a hamstring injury.

The biggest injuries to watch are in the bullpen, particularly Megill considering how well he has done in the post-Devin Williams era. Mears, too, has been a valuable and durable relief piece, and current projections have him back well before the end of the regular season.