Brewers chase – On a sunny Sunday afternoon at American Family Field, the Milwaukee Brewers send Brandon Woodruff to the mound for their 81st game of the season as they try to close out the rubber match against the Chicago Cubs and tighten their grip on the standings. The Cub
It’s the rubber match. and the timing feels simple: if the Milwaukee Brewers can take this one on a beautiful. sunny afternoon at American Family Field. they’ll be one step closer to a series win and a chance to secure a 7.5 game lead over the Chicago Cubs as the season reaches the mathematical halfway point.
It’s also game 81 out of 162 for Milwaukee—another day where every out matters, even on a day that looks like it was built for baseball.
On the mound, the Brewers are turning to veteran leader Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff has already made a strong return to the rotation on the last road trip after dealing with dead arm and a six week IL stint. Now he’ll look to repeat that success against a Cubs team that knows him very well—and a matchup that goes both ways.
Chicago counters with Ryan Rolison, a former first round pick. Rolison was drafted by the Rockies. struggled there upon making his MLB debut last year. and then bounced around—on paper over the offseason—with the Braves and White Sox before landing with the Cubs. He’s having a solid season with a 1.82 ERA in 25 appearances, though it’s just his second start.
For the Cubs, this afternoon already carries a familiar wrinkle: with injuries affecting their rotation, it’ll largely be a bullpen game as they try to piece together their pitching plan.
The Brewers are arriving with nearly all of their regulars in the starting lineup despite it being a Sunday afternoon. Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and Brice Turang make up the top of the order as they generally do. William Contreras gets the day off with a day game after a night game. and Gary Sanchez will be behind the dish while batting sixth.
Garrett Mitchell is out of the lineup after exiting last night with a cramp, but it doesn’t appear to be anything serious. With that opening, Chourio slides over to center and Jake Bauers is in left field—setting up a lineup where both Bauers and Vaughn can fit into the day’s plan.
Chicago’s lineup is rolling out much the same group it’s used all series. Pete Crow-Armstrong leads off, followed by Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki.
After the bullpen struggled last night, Milwaukee’s focus shifts back to the start. They want a vintage Brandon Woodruff start—something that not only shuts down the Cubs, but does it efficiently. The math of the day is straightforward: if the Brewers can get to Rolison and the rest of that Cubs bullpen early. the paths can line up very well for the Crew. And if they don’t. this rubber match could turn into the kind of game Milwaukee hoped to avoid: one where the early margin disappears fast.
Milwaukee Brewers Chicago Cubs Brandon Woodruff Ryan Rolison American Family Field rubber match MLB