NL DIVISION SERIES: BREWERS VS BRAVES

October 12, 2021

Brandon Woodruff

Rowdy Tellez

Lorenzo Cain

Truist Park

Milwaukee Brewers

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Braves - 5, Brewers - 4

Q. Brandon, could you talk about the conversations going in about your ability and how far you thought you might be able to go and how important it was to be involved in this game?

BRANDON WOODRUFF: I don't think there was a time -- after I got done pitching, obviously I think the day after was probably a no-go. But the way I felt throwing, yesterday I felt good. And it was kind of a no-brainer for me at that point. I said I would be available.

And pending kind of the results of yesterday's game and coming in today, I mean it's win or go home. You have to be available. So for me it was just I felt good enough to go out there and try to help in any way possible. And that was just my only thinking. When it comes down to this part of the year, you just try to do whatever you can to help out.

Q. Woody or Rowdy, what did it mean to you to see Lo knowing what he was dealing with going out there with the effort and performance there today?

ROWDY TELLEZ: He's our leader, he's our guy. He goes out there rain or shine and he puts out anything he can. It's multiple times I've seen him go into a wall and be ready to go the next inning, whatever. For us, it's our time to step up and support him and do everything we can to help him.

It's a team game. He puts everything on the line for his team and that's something that we've got to do for him.

Everybody has each other's backs here. And it's something that is tough to kind of speak on. It's like an unconditional bond that we have here.

I shouldn't even be speaking on that. I got traded over here, and I get welcomed with open arms. Felt like I came up with these guys. But this guy sitting to my left here is a true leader and a true teammate to anybody who has ever played with him.

Q. Craig said it's just really hard to move past the disappointment right now in this moment. Just how are you guys feeling about this series specifically, and how it ended and what you'll take away from how you're feeling right now to get ready for next year?

BRANDON WOODRUFF: Obviously pretty tough. We've got a really good team. And we knew that it was going to be a challenge coming into the series, just with the way that they can swing the bat and pitch the ball. And their defense is really good.

But it just felt like it's a tough way to end the year. We felt we would a special group. It's going to hurt for a while, but we'll get over it and move on to next year.

Q. Lorenzo, you sat out all last season and came back to play. How rewarding was this season for you? And what does your future hold?

LORENZO CAIN: You know, sitting out last year was tough. It was definitely tough for me. I was always texting the guys and checking up on them. I got a lot of phone calls on from them as well. But, like I said, I had to do what's best for myself and my son.

And this year got off to a rocky start with me with all the injuries. But I worked my way back, worked my tail off to make sure I was ready to go for this moment.

And, like I say, I'm always willing to put everything on the line for my teammates. And that's what it's about for me, getting to this point and getting to the playoffs and going from there.

So it was tough for it to end this way, but we've got to eventually get over it, go into the offseason, put the work in to make sure we're ready to go next year.

Q. Lorenzo, your hit finally broke the logjam and big hits came after yours. Did you feel the pressure was finally off and the game was going to turn in your favor?

LORENZO CAIN: Yeah, I thought it would. I know as an offense we didn't swing the bats well. I know we're definitely capable of swinging the bats better than we did in the series. It just didn't happen. For whatever reason it just didn't happen.

I'd back anybody in that locker room. Those guys can really swing the bat. Like I said, it just didn't go our way, but like I say, you just have to eventually move on. Go in the offseason and work your tails off and be ready to go next year.

Q. Rowdy, you were across the diamond when Luis makes those inning-ending plays. How are those developing in front of you and how heroic are those given the circumstances where it's a tie game and one swing can change how things go?

ROWDY TELLEZ: The playoffs are all about momentum. When you can make a good play, swing the bat well, throw a good pitch, have a good inning, it shifts momentum, especially when you're on the road. It's a big change, be able to shut down a crowd be able to quiet out.

That's something he did for three innings. Made some good plays. We pitched well. We struggled with the bats, but I mean, there's really not much you can do when you shut down an inning like that and you're playing good ball.

But I think it all boils down to us on the offensive side. We just didn't swing it well. We didn't capitalize.

I don't think we may have had one or two hits with guys in scoring position. Myself included struggled.

And I could have changed the game to start off. Had a bad at-bat. But that's something you've got to turn the page and right now we're just focused on turning that whole page and getting ready for next year. We've got a good group of guys. We've got a core. That's not going to change. We've got a young core.

We've got the best pitching in baseball, I think. And I think we're just after this loss it's tough. It's kind of devastating. We didn't think it would be like this. But we're going to focus on next year and come back and we're always going to be a force here.

Q. Woody, your pitchers did a good job of keeping a lid on Freddie Freeman for most of the series. But is there always that kind of shred of doubt in the back of your mind that at some point he's going to come through in a situation like he did tonight?

BRANDON WOODRUFF: You hope he doesn't, but obviously that's why he gets paid the big money. He's an unbelievable player. And I mean it's just one of those things. He doesn't swing and miss much. He's always an incredibly tough at-bat.

And one of those you just have to hope he swings at the first pitch and gets himself out kind of deal. He's so tough. And the fact that he was able to hit that ball where he did and hit it out the way he did on a slider and it just -- I mean, you tip your hat to him. But, yeah, he's an incredible baseball player.

Q. Brandon, Rowdy mentioned the pitching. I wanted to ask you. You've been part of all four postseason teams. You guys at times talked about the World Series as a real goal. Does this one hurt more because the pitching was at a different stage than some of those other years?

BRANDON WOODRUFF: Yeah, I mean, every year is different. This year -- they're all tough. You want to play in the World Series. You want to win it. And that's your main goal.

And just like Rowdy said, sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. And that's part of the long year. And that's just how hard it is to really win Major League Baseball games and to even get to this point is super difficult.

So there's a lot of things we can be proud of from this year and try and carry into next year. But you know what, the goal never changes. We still believe we can win the World Series and make it there. It's just all about trying to do it.