The Brewers strolled into Wrigley on Monday and put up a 9-3 number on the Cubs to open the series, and now Jacob Misiorowski gets to follow that act. He has a 1.23 ERA over his last 5 starts with 47 strikeouts in 29.1 innings, including 7 shutout innings and 10 punchouts against the Padres in his last time out. Chicago's offense did not exactly sneak up on him quietly.
Ben Brown is the counter, and the numbers say take him seriously. He started the year in the Cubs bullpen and got bumped into the rotation when Matthew Boyd's knee landed him on the IL. Since then it's been 2 starts, zero earned runs, and a 1.60 ERA on the year. Small sample as a starter, sure, but the stuff has played in both roles.
The records are basically a coin flip, 29-19 Cubs and 27-18 Brewers, with Chicago a game and a half up in the Central. Milwaukee has won 4 of its last 5 and 3 straight series. The Cubs were rolling earlier in the year with a couple of 10-game win streaks, but they've now lost their last 3 series and Milwaukee just made it 4 by taking the opener at home.
- Day-To-DayGerson Garabito RP — Garabito will be out for four months after undergoing surgery to address a broken bone in his foot, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrandon Lockridge LF — Lockridge is expected to be sidelined until mid-to-late June after an MRI on his right knee showed a bone bruise, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrandon Woodruff SP — Woodruff (shoulder) is tentatively scheduled to face hitters Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJared Koenig RP — Koenig (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILQuinn Priester SP — Priester (shoulder) will resume a rehab assignment this weekend, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 15-Day-ILAngel Zerpa RP — Zerpa will undergo UCL reconstruction on his left elbow next week, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 60-Day-ILAkil Baddoo LF — Baddoo (quadriceps) will begin a rehab assignment Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILRob Zastryzny RP — Zastryzny (shoulder/ribs) will resume a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayBrandon Birdsell RP — Birdsell (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports.
- Day-To-DayJeff Brigham RP — Brigham was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, retroactive to April 6, with a left oblique strain, TwinsDaily.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJaxon Wiggins SP — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Wiggins was placed on Triple-A Iowa's 7-day injured list Wednesday due to right elbow inflammation, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILMatthew Boyd SP — Boyd (knee) is scheduled to throw off a mound Saturday and is on track for a full bullpen session next week, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 15-Day-ILRiley Martin RP — Martin has been diagnosed with flexor strain in his left elbow and is expected to miss eight weeks, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 15-Day-ILCaleb Thielbar RP — The Cubs placed Thielbar on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left hamstring strain.
- 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey RP — The Cubs moved Harvey (triceps) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
- 60-Day-ILJustin Steele SP — Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Steele's (elbow) setback will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Chicago's pitching depth chart reads like a hospital wing. Justin Steele is out until after the All-Star break, Cade Horton is on the 60-day, Boyd is still working back, and the bullpen has been gutted with Hunter Harvey, Porter Hodge, Riley Martin, Caleb Thielbar, and Shelby Miller all shelved. That's a lot of arms to be missing on a night Brown is being asked to extend himself.
The market has the Cubs as a comfortable home favorite despite the Brewers winning the opener and trotting out the better pitcher tonight, which is a little odd at first glance. The total split is the more telling line — Pinnacle sits at 8 while DraftKings is up at 10.5. Two starters with sub-2.15 ERAs at Wrigley with the wind doing whatever it does. Take your pick.
Bottom line, this is the first Brewers-Cubs game at Wrigley since Milwaukee bounced Chicago in last fall's NLDS, and Misiorowski is the best young arm in the National League right now. If the Cubs can't get to Miz early, this thing turns into a bullpen problem real fast.