The Brewers and Pirates get one of the more intriguing games on the Wednesday slate, and it comes with a little bit of everything: a high-end pitching matchup, two offenses that have been producing, and two teams chasing big-picture goals in the NL Central.
First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m. ET on ESPN, with Milwaukee trying to stay on pace to lead the Majors in wins for a second straight year and Pittsburgh still aiming to end the NL’s longest playoff drought.
The headline is the mound. Paul Skenes brings the kind of resume that jumps off the page immediately.
The Pirates right-hander is already a Cy Young Award winner in 2025, a Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a three-time All-Star. Through 78 career starts, he owns a 2.51 ERA.
This season has been a little bumpier than what he’s used to, though. After putting up sub-2 ERA marks in 2024 and ’25, his ERA has climbed to 3.90 this year, even if the underlying indicators remain excellent.
Milwaukee counters with Kyle Harrison, who has been one of the season’s breakout left-handers. This will be his first start since July 8 after he spent the last month on the injured list with left forearm extensor tendinopathy. The Brewers got him in an offseason trade with the Red Sox, and the soon-to-be 25-year-old has rewarded them with a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 17 starts.
The bats deserve plenty of attention, too. Milwaukee sits last in the Majors with 103 home runs, but that hasn’t stopped the club from ranking fifth in runs with 562.
The reason is pretty clear: a third-best .337 on-base percentage and one of the lowest strikeout rates in the league. The Brewers have also done damage with runners in scoring position, and they’ve gotten production from all over the lineup, including Brice Turang, Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell and Jackson Chourio.
Pittsburgh’s turnaround has been even more dramatic. Last season, the Pirates were the worst offense in baseball in runs, home runs and OPS.
This year, they’ve climbed all the way to third in the Majors in runs with 584. The improvement has come with help from offseason additions Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn and Jake Mangum, while Esmerlyn Valdez has provided a breakout lift from inside the organization.
In Other News...
Pat Murphy Just Sent A Clear Message About Christian Yelich
Christian Yelichs rough start at the plate has become one of the more notable early challenges for the Brewers in 2026, especially after the early-season injury that slowed him before he could really settle in. Even with the slump, Yelich remains one of the clubs most established voices, and his place in the lineup has naturally drawn attention as Milwaukee looks for steadier offense from the middle of the order.
Pat Murphy has now signaled that he is willing to adjust around that reality, putting the teams needs ahead of any default hierarchy in the batting order. Yelich, for his part, has handled the shift professionally, which matters for a Brewers clubhouse that still leans on him as a leader even while searching for a better version of his bat. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy Just Weighed In On Christian Yelichs Growing Brewers Debate
Christian Yelich has been a central figure for the Brewers since arriving in 2018, but this season has brought a different conversation around one of the clubs most familiar faces. Through 76 games, Yelich is sitting at a career-worst .696 OPS with a .231 batting average, a sharp drop for a player who has long been one of Milwaukees defining bats and a key part of its lineup identity.
Pat Murphy has already stepped in to make sure the discussion does not drift too far from perspective. The Brewers manager has publicly encouraged fans to keep backing Yelich, even as the struggles pile up and concerns linger about his ongoing back issues and what they could mean for the future. For Milwaukee, it is a reminder that the Yelich debate is no longer just about this seasons production, but about how much the club can still count on him going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Yelichs Slump Just Forced A Brewers Lineup Change
Christian Yelichs recent slump finally led to a visible shakeup in the Brewers lineup Monday against the Pirates, with Pat Murphy moving the veteran lower in the batting order as Milwaukee looked for any spark it could find. The decision came amid a rough stretch for Yelich at the plate and a broader offensive slide for a club that has struggled to put together consistent run production.
Murphy discussed the move with Yelich before the game, underscoring that the shift was tied directly to performance and not some larger message. The exact spot in the order was not fully set in stone once the lineup card started to change, but the underlying point was clear enough: Milwaukee is searching for answers, and even one of its most important hitters is not immune when the offense goes quiet. [Read more 🡒]