Milwaukee, meanwhile, is playing with the kind of margin most teams in this division don't get. The Brewers have the best record in the sport and are chasing heights the franchise has never touched, but they've dropped 2 of their last 5 and just got out-slugged at home by the team with the worst record in the division. Henderson's last time out was about as clean as it gets — 7 strikeouts and no runs allowed in 5.2 innings — and Milwaukee needs that version of him to show up again to shut the door on this series.
Pittsburgh's lineup is banged up in the outfield with Ryan O'Hearn on the shelf and Oneil Cruz still working back from injury, which puts more pressure on whoever's filling those gaps to produce against a Brewers rotation that's mostly healthy at the top. Milwaukee has its own list of names on the injured list, but most of it is bullpen depth and complementary outfield pieces rather than anything at the top of the roster.
This is a get-right spot for Milwaukee against a club it should be beating regularly, and a nothing-to-lose spot for a Pirates team that's already playing out the string on this season. Jones and the newly reinforced bullpen just have to keep it competitive long enough to make the Brewers sweat again.