Next-level managing? Wade Miley pulled from Game 5 of NLCS after facing one batter

Many expected Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell to have a quick hook with Wade Miley on the mound in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, but no one expected this. Miley was pulled from the “start” after facing just one batter.

Miley lasted just five pitches before leaving the game. He walked Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger to kick off the game and then was pulled by Counsell. Brandon Woodruff was called in to relieve Miley. The Brewers would go on to lose the game 5-2.

While the 31-year-old Miley came into the start on short rest, pulling him after just one batter was odd. Some wondered whether Miley was hurt, but that wasn’t the case. It was all intentional, according to Ken Rosenthal.

If true, starting Miley was nothing more than a strategic gambit to give the Brewers an edge by forcing the Dodgers to prepare for the left-handed Miley. The move allowed Counsell to go to Woodruff, who is a righty, early.

Throughout the NLCS, the Dodgers have been fairly aggressive with their substitutions. In Game 4, manager Dave Roberts removed David Freese from the contest in the second inning to pinch hit with Max Muncy. By swapping starters, Counsell may have tried to force Roberts to exhaust his bench even earlier.

While the bait-and-switch move has some clear advantages, it didn’t exactly work for the Brewers in this instance. Though Woodruff started strong, putting up four scoreless innings to start his outing, Counsell actually waited too long to move on. The Dodgers scored three times against Woodruff in the fifth and sixth innings to take charge of the game.

In the end, the Brewers used their bullpen for 19 2/3 innings in Game 4 and Game 5, and have no zero wins to show for it.

This odd strategy is not something that happens often. Curiously, it has happened during the World Series before.

Washington Senators manager Bucky Harris utilized the same strategy in Game 7 of the 1924 World Series. Harris started Curly Ogden in the pivotal game in order to make the New York Giants set their lineup to face the right-handed Ogden. After one batter, Ogden was replaced with lefty George Mogridge. The gambit worked. The Senators went on to beat the Giants 4-3.

The Brewers’ strategy, while not illegal, could raise some questions within the game. Opposing teams were already questioning Milwaukee’s methods for announcing starters, according to Rosenthal. Counsell’s tactics in Game 5 could increase the level of scrutiny surrounding the club.

Miley is slated to start Game 6 of the NLCS, according to Rosenthal. Will he go longer than a batter in that start? Only Counsell knows.

– – – – – – –

Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

More from Yahoo Sports:

• Sources: Red Sox warned about alleged Astros cheating
• Controversial trade backfires on Astros
• Pete Thamel: Top 10 college football QB prospects
• Tim Brown: Dodgers’ Machado emerges as October’s villain