Game Thread #107: Milwaukee Brewers (63-43) vs. Chicago Cubs (62-44)

Brewers look to clinch series versus rival Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers won a satisfying victory over the Chicago Cubs last night in the first of three in this big series between these division rivals, who entered the series tied for the best record in the National League. After falling behind early, the Brewer offense showed some real life following a sluggish series versus the Marlins, and Milwaukee ended up with a fairly comfortable 8-4 win.

Tonight, the Cubs will look to even the series with help from a former Brewer, Colin Rea. And as trade rumors swirl around the Brewers and the league, one of this season’s most consequential players traded, Quinn Priester, will take the hill for the home nine.

Priester has been fantastic. With a 9-2 record, he sports the best winning percentage in the majors, and he’s pitched to a 3.28 ERA (123 ERA+) and 3.84 FIP in 101 ²⁄₃ innings. Priester has found success by limiting walks (3.0 per nine innings, a tick below his minor league career number) and relying on his heavy sinker and newly introduced cutter to induce a lot of weak contact. Given the situation the Milwaukee rotation was in when Priester arrived in early April, his contributions to the team have been profound. Since he last faced the Cubs on May 2, when he gave up seven runs in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings as the Cubs blew out Milwaukee 10-0, Priester has allowed more than three earned runs in a start only one time. Overall, in 78 ¹⁄₃ innings since the debacle against Chicago, Priester has a 2.53 ERA and 69 strikeouts to 18 walks.

On the other side, Rea has continued to defy the Statcast gods as a member of the Cubs. According to his Baseball Savant page, about the only thing that Rea does well is limit walks. He barely strikes anyone out, he doesn’t throw especially hard, and his expected ERA and batting average are both in the bottom 20% of the league. Yet he’s continuing to do what he did in Milwaukee in 2023 and 2024 — be a completely fine and dependable starter despite underlying numbers that suggest he should be much worse. In 102 innings this season, Rea is 8-4 with a 4.06 ERA (94 ERA+) that far outpaces his 4.96 FIP. Chicago’s good defense certainly helps, as Milwaukee’s did when he was on the other side of this rivalry.

Some quick roster notes today: Easton McGee is back up, taking the place of Craig Yoho, who couldn’t quite finish off yesterday’s game. In the wake of the acquisition of Danny Jansen last night, Eric Haase has been designated for assignment.

The Brewers are sending out almost the same lineup tonight as they had last night, the only difference being Anthony Seigler at third base and batting eighth in place of Caleb Durbin. For the Cubs, they’ll run out the same group, except with Reese McGuire in at catcher for Carson Kelly. Danny Jansen is in Milwaukee and available, but will at least start the game on the bench.

First pitch is again at 6:40 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.