Milwaukee and Chicago Cubs fans should get ready for an eagerly awaited three-game series at Wrigley Field starting Monday, marking their opening matchup of 2026 season. Following Milwaukee’s narrow 3-2 win in last year’s National League Division Series against their division rival, fans can anticipate an electric atmosphere when these divisional foes go head to head beginning with game one!
The Milwaukee Brewers enter Chicago riding an impressive wave of momentum after defeating Minnesota Twins 3-0 and following up their recent homestand by going 5-1 against Yankees and Padres with another series win against Minnesota Twins 4-0. Meanwhile, Chicago currently hold an edge with 29-18 record, 1.5 games ahead of both Brewers and Cardinals; yet have struggled lately, losing three series to Rangers, Braves, and White Sox respectively.
Both teams are dealing with significant injury concerns. The Brewers’ roster is missing key pitchers including Quinn Priester, Brandon Woodruff, Rob Zastryzny, Jared Koenig, and Angel Zerpa, alongside outfielders Brandon Lockridge and Akil Baddoo. The Cubs are also facing challenges with their pitching staff, sidelined players include Matthew Boyd, Caleb Thielbar, Hunter Harvey, Justin Steele, and others. Chicago’s only position player on the injured list is first baseman Tyler Austin, who is recovering from knee surgery.
Offensive and Pitching Matchups
Offensively, the Brewers rely on Brice Turang and support from William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and Andrew Vaughn. Despite a modest .244 batting average and a .693 OPS ranking 23rd in the league, Milwaukee has scored 218 runs, placing them eighth overall. The Cubs boast a stronger offensive lineup led by Ian Happ, who has already hit 10 home runs this season. Their team batting average of .246 and .749 OPS rank fourth, with 241 runs scored, also good for fourth in the league.
On the mound, Milwaukee’s bullpen has been strong thanks to Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, and Grant Anderson, helping maintain a team ERA of 3.29, which ranks third in the league. Conversely, the Cubs’ bullpen featuring Daniel Palencia and Hoby Milner holds a 3.99 ERA, ranked 15th overall. Both teams aim to fortify their pitching depth as they head into this pivotal series.
Starting Pitchers for the Series
The series begins on Monday, May 18, at 6:40 p.m. with Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat facing Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga. Sproat will look to build consistency following his recent outings, while Imanaga, a 2024 All-Star, hopes to rebound after a difficult game against the Braves.
On Tuesday, May 19th, Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski is facing Cubs starter Ben Brown who has shown promise recently. On Wednesday May 20th Kyle Harrison takes the mound against Edward Cabrera who is still getting used to life after moving over from Miami Marlins.
As these teams face each other for what promises to be an exhilarating matchup, fans eagerly anticipate which squad will establish early dominance and set off an exhilarating rivalry.