Ah, the classic showdown between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field, and what a day for baseball it is. With the Brewers eyeing a series win, they’re also looking to stretch their lead to a solid 7.5 games over the Cubs as we hit the halfway mark of the season. This game marks the Brewers' 81st of the 162-game grind.
Taking the mound for the Brewers is their seasoned ace, Brandon Woodruff. Fresh off a strong comeback from a dead arm and a six-week stint on the injured list, Woodruff is eager to replicate his recent success. He’s no stranger to the Cubs, and they know him just as well, setting the stage for an intriguing pitcher-batter chess match.
On the other side, the Cubs are putting their faith in Ryan Rolison, a former first-round pick. Rolison’s journey has been a winding road, with stops at the Rockies, Braves, and White Sox before finding a home with the Cubs.
Despite the whirlwind, he’s settled in nicely this season with a stellar 1.82 ERA over 25 appearances. Today marks just his second start, so expect the Cubs' bullpen to play a significant role as they navigate through injuries plaguing their rotation.
The Brewers’ lineup is almost at full strength for this sunny Sunday clash. Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and Brice Turang are leading the charge at the top of the order, as usual.
With William Contreras taking a breather after last night’s game, Gary Sanchez steps in behind the plate, batting sixth. Garrett Mitchell is out due to a cramp from last night, but it’s nothing serious.
Chourio shifts to center field, with Jake Bauers taking over in left, ensuring both Bauers and Vaughn make the lineup.
For the Cubs, it’s business as usual with Pete Crow-Armstrong at the top, followed by Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki.
After a shaky performance from their bullpen last night, the Brewers are counting on a classic Woodruff outing to keep the Cubs' bats quiet. If the Brewers can jump on Rolison and the Cubs' bullpen early, they could set themselves up nicely for a series-clinching victory. Here’s to a game that promises to be as unpredictable as it is exciting!
In Other News...
Logan Henderson Just Gave The Brewers Rotation A Much Needed Sign
Logan Hendersons first rehab start for Triple-A Nashville offered the Brewers exactly the kind of early encouragement they were hoping for after his low back strain sidelined him in late May. The right-hander worked three perfect innings, struck out seven and was lifted in the fourth after throwing 50 pitches, a sharp enough outing to suggest his stuff is still playing like it did before the injury interrupted his momentum.
Before getting hurt, Henderson had given Milwaukee a legitimate lift with a 2.74 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 innings, and the club has plenty of reason to keep tracking his recovery closely. His fastball was also sitting near his season level, another reassuring sign as he works his way back toward rejoining the rotation picture. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Let Cubs Steal Another Tight One At Home
A tight home series ended the way too many Brewers-Cubs games seem to lately, with Chicago finding just enough at the end to leave Milwaukee wanting more. The Cubs pulled out a 4-3 win in 10 innings in the finale, and the game had the sort of familiar tension that made every pitch feel heavier once the clubs were settled into a one-run battle.
Milwaukee did have its moments, including Gary Sanchez's home run that gave the home side an early spark, but the game tilted in the extra frame when Chicago pieced together a three-run burst. Jacob Webb picked up the win for the Cubs, while Jordan Wicks closed it out for Milwaukee after the Brewers' last chance fell short in a sequence that summed up how close this one stayed right until the end. [Read more 🡒]
One Familiar Arm Changed Everything For The Brewers This Week
The Brewers spent the week moving through six games against the Reds and Cubs, and the difference between a solid stretch and a frustrating one kept coming back to the same place: the mound. Milwaukee went 4-2 overall, with Brandon Woodruffs starts helping stabilize a rotation that needed a lift, while Joel Kuhnel handled the late innings when the Brewers had a lead to protect. Add in timely offense from Jake Bauers, William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell, and it was the kind of trip that hinted at how dangerous this club can be when pitching and bats line up at the same time.
The challenge now is figuring out whether that balance can hold once the schedule gets less forgiving. The Brewers got quality work from multiple arms against two division rivals, including a strong outing from Jacob Misiorowski and another scoreless turn from Woodruff later in the week, but they also saw how quickly a game can slip away when the bullpen has to cover for a starters exit. For a team trying to stack wins, the encouraging part is clear enough. The harder part is whether this week was a glimpse of whats coming, or just the latest reminder that the margin is still thin. [Read more 🡒]