The Dodgers’ Game 1 NLCS win shows that financial muscle can make things right

milwaukee — Payroll disparity was the focus of the series before the first pitch ever was delivered, the handiwork of the manager in charge of a small-market franchise that has won more regular-season games than any team in baseball.

“I’m sure most Dodgers players can’t name eight players on our roster,” joked Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers.

If the previous six months were a testament to how a team without stars can win, the Dodgers’ 2-1 win in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series was a display of the firepower that can be bought with a record $415 million salary.

The Dodgers won a game in which a confusing play over the center field wall led to an inning-ending double play that cost them a run — and likely more.

They won the game stranding 11 runners.

They won the game in which the Brewers emptied their bullpen to secure as many playoff favorites as possible.

The Dodgers won because they had a $162 million starter in Freddie Freeman, whose solo home run in the sixth inning pushed them ahead. They won because they had a $182 million starter in Blake Snell, who pitched eight scoreless innings. They won because they had a $365 million outfielder turned shortstop in Mookie Betts, who drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning.

Talent wins.

The Dodgers can buy as much of him as they want.

Visions for the Brewers’ small-ball attack to overcome the absence of Freeman, Betts or Shohei Ohtani?

In retrospect, how nice.

Thinking about how the Brewers’ pitching depth trumped the Dodgers’ individual superiority?

Later, how delusional.

The Dodgers absorbed the Brewers’ best collective shot, coming away with a win that enabled them to take control of the best-of-seven series.

Their assistant, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is worth $325 million, will start Game 2 on Tuesday. Ohtani, their $700 million two-way player, and No. 4 starter Tyler Glasnow who is worth $136.5 million, will play Games 3 and 4 at Dodger Stadium in some capacity.

How can the Brewers match that?

Bring on the Seattle Mariners.

Bring on the World Series.

The Brewers’ futile effort to stop the Dodgers on Monday night consisted of deploying six pitchers in the so-called bullpen. The weapons assembly line was strong, but Snell was exceptional.

Snell only produced one base runner through the eighth innings — Caleb Durbin, who singled to lead off the third inning.

Snell picked it up.

Against the team with the lowest chase rate in baseball, Snell finished with 10 punchouts.

“That was pretty special,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Only when the Dodgers turned to their bullpen in the ninth inning were they in any kind of danger, as Ruki Sasaki appeared to be gassed after a three-inning home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.

Also of concern is the effect the previous series had on the Dodgers’ most valuable possession, Ohtani. In the four games against the Phillies, Ohtani was 1-for-18 with nine strikeouts.

There was no way to know if Ohtani was out of his mini-slump, as the Brewers elected to challenge him as infrequently as possible.

Facing opener Aaron Ashby, Ohtani drew a walk to start the game. He walked twice more, both intentionally.

He was unharmed in his other two appearances at the plate, flying out to left field in the third inning and walking out to first base in the seventh. His discipline at the plate was improved, and his third game against Quin Brister lasted eight pitches.

“I thought Shohei’s bats were great tonight,” Roberts said.

Before the game, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman disputed the perception that Ohtani was regressing, describing how the Phillies attacked him in borderline historical terms.

“I think that was the most impressive execution against a hitter I’ve ever seen,” Friedman said.

Perhaps not wanting to create any bulletin board material for Ohtani, Murphy also described the mini-slump as a reflection of the excellence of Phillies pitchers Christopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez.

“These guys are really good,” Murphy said. “So I don’t consider Ohtani suffering. I don’t think so.”

Murphy acted like this, and his fear of Ohtani was healthy enough to where he intentionally walked him to load the bases in the ninth inning.

The move backfired when Bates walked out to push the insurance.

Ohtani wasn’t the only big-money player on the team.