This is the first meeting between these division rivals since last October’s Division Series, which, as you know, the Brewers won three games to two.
Both teams have made significant changes since that time.
For more on the Brewers, here’s Harrison Freuck, manager of our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball.
The Milwaukee Brewers are playing some of their best baseball right now, as they won eight of nine before a loss to the Twins Sunday. That included a sweep of the Yankees and a series win over the Padres during a 5-1 homestand.
While the pitching staff has been solid all year long, the offense is finally finding a bit of rhythm despite ranking last in homers, as the Brewers’ brand of small ball is working again. Christian Yelich (day-to-day as of this writing) returned earlier this week after missing about a month with a groin strain, while Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio both returned from hand injuries last week. Since that time, the Brewers have outscored opponents 43-24 and are 8-2 over that 10-game span. Brice Turang continues to be one of the best all-around second basemen in baseball, while Joey Ortiz continues to be one of the best defensive and worst offensive shortstops in baseball. William Contreras and Gary Sánchez form a solid backstop duo, and Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Blake Perkins give Milwaukee one of the better defensive outfields in baseball.
On the pitching side, the Brewers are set to deploy Brandon Sproat, Jacob Misiorowski, and Kyle Harrison, a trio of young starters with varying success. Miz and Harrison have both been on their A-game all season, as Miz has a 2.12 ERA, 2.27 FIP, and 80 strikeouts over 51 innings, and Harrison has a 2.09 ERA, 2.86 FIP, and 48 strikeouts over 38 2/3 innings. Sproat has shown flashes of success, but he can’t seem to avoid the blow-up inning, giving him a 5.75 ERA, 5.74 FIP, and 36 strikeouts across 36 innings. On the bullpen side of things, Aaron Ashby and DL Hall have been the anchors, while Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill, Milwaukee’s 1-2 punch a season ago, have struggled at times but still have electric stuff when they’re on. Overall, the Brewers’ pitching staff has been one of the best in baseball, with a top-five ERA and strong strikeout numbers.
As it is every time these teams meet, this should be a fun series. I think it’ll be a 2-1 series split one way or the other, but I’ll give the Cubs the benefit of the doubt at Wrigley.
Fun facts
Remember the Brewers? The team that has finished above the Cubs in the Central Division standings at the end of each of the last seven full seasons?
The opening game of this series will be the first regular-season meeting between the teams since Aug. 21 of last year, when they completed a five-game set at Wrigley Field. The Cubs have played 82 games since then — half a season.
The Brewers lead the all-time series, 230-226, but the Cubs are ahead, 119-110, at Wrigley Field.
In all 456 games, the Cubs have outscored the Brewers — by exactly two runs, 2,060-2,058.
(The numbers above don’t include last year’s Division Series.)
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (4-3, 2.32 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, 2.84 FIP) vs. Brandon Sproat, RHP (1-2, 5.75 ERA, 1.528 WHIP, 5.73 FIP)
Tuesday: Ben Brown, RHP (1-1, 1.60 ERA, 0.861 WHIP, 2.44 FIP) vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (3-2, 2.12 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, 2.27 FIP)
Wednesday: Edward Cabrera, RHP (3-1, 4.06 ERA, 1.314 WHIP, 4.49 FIP) vs. Kyle Harrison, LHP (4-1, 2.09 ERA, 1.190 WHIP, 2.86 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Monday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
Well. The Cubs, as you know, are on a 15-game home winning streak and are 18-5 overall at Wrigley Field.
The Brewers, while they are playing well, are just 11-9 away from Milwaukee.
Another fun fact: The Cubs are 16-7 in night games, the Brewers 14-12 under the lights.
I think that will be enough for the Cubs to take two of three.
Up next
The Cubs have Thursday off, then host the Houston Astros in a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon.
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