Brewers-Phillies Weekend Set Begins With Pitching Showdown

Brewers vs – Milwaukee hosts Philadelphia for a three-game series starting Friday night, with both teams riding momentum—while the Brewers juggle a deep injury list and the Phillies try to keep their surge going. The weekend’s schedule features Jacob Misiorowski vs. Andrew

Friday night has a specific feeling in baseball—when the first pitch finally lands. all the questions built during the week get answered quickly. This weekend’s three-game set between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies begins Friday night in Milwaukee. starting with a matchup that looks designed for swing-and-miss.

The Brewers (41-25) return to their home field with a lead in the NL Central. Entering Thursday’s play, they were 3.5 games ahead of the Cardinals. Milwaukee is coming off a 4-2 road trip that included a sweep of the Rockies and a pair of losses in a three-game series against the A’s in Las Vegas.

Philadelphia arrives with its own surge. The Phillies are 37-31 and sitting second in the NL East, eight games behind the NL-leading Atlanta Braves. After a dismal 9-19 start that led to the firing of manager Rob Thomson, they’ve played 28-12 since April 27 under interim manager Don Mattingly.

But both teams are trying to write their next chapter under strain.

Milwaukee is currently missing starters Quinn Priester, Logan Henderson, and Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff is expected to rejoin the team in Milwaukee this weekend, with a potential return next week against the Guardians. Priester continues to struggle with his command during his rehab assignment, while Henderson is targeting a July return. The Brewers’ injury list also reaches into the bullpen: relievers Jared Koenig. Angel Zerpa. Rob Zastryzny. Brian Fitzpatrick. DL Hall. and Carlos Rodriguez are out. Zerpa is out for the season. Fitzpatrick is evaluating whether to get Tommy John surgery. Hall is out until late July. Rodriguez has a TBD return. and Zastryzny and Koenig are on their way back.

Outfielder Brandon Lockridge is nearing a rehab assignment after recovering from a knee injury.

UPDATE: While this preview was being written, Priester was returned from his rehab assignment again and remains on the IL.

Philadelphia, too, is working around absences. Outfielder Johan Rojas is out for the season after a suspension followed by a torn right UCL. Left-hander Kyle Backhus just began a rehab assignment. and outfielder Adolis García is considered day-to-day with a pulled muscle in his throwing arm. Top prospect Aidan Miller (MLB No. 14), who is with Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate, is out until August with a back injury.

The matchup likely becomes a story of who can manage the most important stretches—because the numbers are shouting it.

Offensively, Milwaukee is led by Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich. Catcher Gary Sánchez’s power returned during the recent road trip, and Andrew Vaughn continues to mash against lefties. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, and Luis Rengifo round out the group. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .254/.340/.389 (.729 OPS ranks eighth) with 57 homers (27th), 352 runs (third), and 68 steals (third).

Philadelphia’s big 1-2 remains Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber leads the majors with 24 homers and is hitting .239/.358/.575 with 100 strikeouts to 42 walks over 65 games. Harper has 15 homers and is hitting .267/.376/.517. Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh have eight homers each, and Marsh leads the team with a .326 batting average. García is hitting .195 but has seven homers. and Trea Turner and Bryson Stott remain speed threats with 26 steals between them (14 for Turner. 12 for Stott). J.T. Realmuto is in a down year and is sharing time behind the plate with Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs. Edmundo Sosa, former Brewer Steward Berroa, and prospect Justin Crawford (the son of Carl Crawford) round out the squad. As a team, the Phillies are hitting .228/.298/.389 (.687 OPS ranks 27th) with 86 homers (ninth), 276 runs (24th), and 54 steals (tied for 10th).

Pitching is where the weekend’s stakes start to sharpen.

Milwaukee’s bullpen leaders as it stands are Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Grant Anderson, and Aaron Ashby. Chad Patrick has also been effective in his bullpen role, though he did allow three runs in Wednesday’s loss. Rookie Coleman Crow appears to be moved to the bullpen, and newbies Joel Kuhnel and Drew Rom round things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.47 team ERA (fourth), including a 3.50 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.43 bullpen ERA (eighth). They’ve struck out 639 batters (tied for second) over 591 1/3 innings.

For Philadelphia, Jhoan Duran leads the bullpen with a 1.99 ERA and 17 saves in 18 chances. José Alvarado and Brad Keller are tied for the team lead with 30 appearances apiece. though Alvarado’s 5.25 ERA over 24 innings isn’t ideal. while Keller’s 3.38 ERA over 29 1/3 innings is much better. Orion Kerkering has been solid with a 2.10 ERA over 25 2/3 innings. Tanner Banks has a 6.08 ERA over 23 2/3 IP. Tim Mayza has a 3.41 ERA over 29 IP. Chase Shugart has a 3.48 ERA over 20 2/3 IP. and Jonathan Bowlan has a 3.92 ERA over 20 IP.

As a staff, the Phillies have a 4.01 team ERA (12th), including a 4.14 starter ERA (13th) and a 3.79 bullpen ERA (12th). They’ve struck out 641 batters (first) over 606 1/3 innings.

It all lands on a set of starters whose contrasts couldn’t be clearer.

Friday, June 12 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (7-2, 1.50 ERA, 1.91 FIP) vs. RHP Andrew Painter (1-7, 6.21 ERA, 5.09 FIP).

Misiorowski is putting up an absurd strikeout profile, leading the majors with 116 strikeouts over just 78 innings. He has a league-best 0.808 WHIP, allowing just 4.7 H/9. He’s allowed one earned run since the end of April across 45 1/3 innings over seven starts. with a perfect 6-0 record and 65 strikeouts. He’s also had at least eight strikeouts in every appearance. Most recently. he pitched a seven-inning outing against the Rockies. allowing an unearned run on four hits. three walks. and a hit batter while striking out eight.

The only career appearance Misiorowski has made against the Phillies came last September. In that start, he allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision.

Painter, a highly regarded prospect, has dealt with injuries early in his career and is still just 23. In his rookie season. he’s had trouble finding traction: across 12 appearances (11 starts). he’s totaled 58 innings with a 6.21 ERA and 5.09 FIP. along with 47 strikeouts. He’s lost each of his last three outings, allowing 12 runs over 14 1/3 innings against the Guardians, Dodgers, and White Sox. This is Painter’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.

Saturday, June 13 @ 6:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (3-1, 3.11 ERA, 2.71 FIP) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-4, 5.86 ERA, 4.21 FIP).

Drohan made his MLB debut as a starter before following with 10 bullpen outings. Now he’s set for his third turn through the rotation since rejoining this month. This season, he has a 3.11 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 37 strikeouts across 37 2/3 innings. The Brewers dominated in both of his recent starts. allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out nine over 10 1/3 innings in a 16-2 win against the Giants. then repeating that kind of control with a 12-4 win against the Rockies. This is Drohan’s first career appearance against Philadelphia.

Nola is 33 and is in his 12th MLB season, all with the Phillies. Before 2026. “even year” Aaron Nola was widely seen as a storyline. with ERAs of 2.37. 3.28. 3.25. and 3.57 in 2018. 2020. 2022. and 2024—compared with ERAs of 3.87. 4.63. 4.46. and 6.01 in 2019. 2021. 2023. and 2025. This year has not fit that script. Over 13 starts, he has a 5.86 ERA, 4.21 FIP, and 68 strikeouts over 66 innings. His last appearance went poorly: he allowed five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox.

Nola has made 15 career starts against Milwaukee, with a 7-3 record, a 3.09 ERA, and 101 strikeouts over 90 1/3 innings. Still, he got roughed up last September, allowing six runs in five innings in a loss.

Sunday, June 14 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (7-1, 2.72 ERA, 3.11 FIP) vs. LHP Cristopher Sánchez (8-2, 1.54 ERA, 1.85 FIP).

Harrison enters with strong baseline numbers: a 2.72 ERA, 3.11 FIP, and 77 strikeouts across 59 2/3 innings. He’s coming off his worst start as a Brewer, and the location has its own role in the damage. In Las Vegas Ballpark. he went just 2 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs on eight hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts on 71 pitches. but the Brewers pulled out a 15-14 comeback win in 12 innings.

Harrison has made a pair of starts against the Phillies while with the Giants, one in 2023 and one in 2024. In those games, he totaled six runs allowed on 17 hits and two walks, striking out 10 over 8 1/3 frames.

Sánchez, 29, has emerged as one of the best pitchers in MLB. After finishing second in NL Cy Young voting and leading all pitchers with an 8.1 bWAR in 2025. he’s doing it again in 2026. Across 14 starts, he leads the league with 93 1/3 innings and a 5.0 bWAR, with a 1.54 ERA, 1.85 FIP, and 113 strikeouts. He allowed no runs in the month of May and followed that by winning NL Pitcher of the Month over Misiorowski.

Sánchez is coming off his worst start in a while. He allowed all of two runs over seven innings, still picking up 10 strikeouts in a 5-2 win over the Blue Jays. He has made three career appearances (two starts) against the Brewers, with a 2.03 ERA and eight strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.

Friday’s Brewers game can be watched on Brewers TV. with radio coverage via the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee). Saturday’s game is on Brewers TV and nationally on FS1. with radio again on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee). Sunday’s game returns to Brewers TV, with radio coverage on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee).

Milwaukee and Philadelphia both started slowly, then flipped the switch over the last month-plus. This should be a series built for pitching matchups—and one where one swing can decide more than a box score. The Crew is the pick to eke out two of three.

Milwaukee Brewers Philadelphia Phillies Jacob Misiorowski Andrew Painter Shane Drohan Aaron Nola Kyle Harrison Cristopher Sánchez Don Mattingly Rob Thomson MLB injuries