Weekend MLB preview: Brewers at Cubs
August 2nd, 2019
The NL Central is up for grabs with less than two months to go in the regular season. Two of the teams fighting for the division crown, the Milwaukee Brewers (57-53) and Chicago Cubs (57-51), will meet at Wrigley Field for a three-game series that begins Friday afternoon. What follows is a wagering primer for this crucial weekend series, giving bettors an idea of what to anticipate.
Zach Davies will toe the rubber for Milwaukee, and his numbers against Chicago are not inspiring. In his last 15 starts against the Cubs, Davies is 5-6 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.255 WHIP. Chicago third baseman Kris Bryant and left fielder Kyle Schwarber both possess an OPS above .900 against Davies, and the right-hander owns a 5.05 ERA in his last 11 starts.
Jose Quintana has looked lost on the mound for the Cubs since June. He has produced a 5.33 ERA in his last 10 outings. The southpaw from Colombia has had three brutal starts against the Brewers in 2019, with an 0-2 record and an 8.79 ERA. Look for catcher Yasmani Grandal (3-for-6 off Quintana) to make an impression, along with irrepressible right fielder Christian Yelich (1.118 OPS in 2019) and hot-hitting rookie second baseman Keston Hiura (.358 average last 14 games).
Cole Hamels (6-3, 2.98 ERA) will make his first start for the Northside Nine since June 28, when he hit the IL with a left oblique strain. He could be on a tight leash for manager Joe Maddon, which is just as well for Chicago, as center fielder Lorenzo Cain and left fielder Ryan Braun are a combined 19-for-62 (.306) off Hamels all-time with four home runs.
The bullpens could be busy early for both clubs Saturday, something neither Maddon nor Brewers manager Craig Counsell are looking forward to at the moment. Both reliefs corps sport ERAs of more than 4.00 over the last 14 days.
Darvish was 1-1 in five July starts, with a 2.93 ERA and 0.815 WHIP, by far his best month of the season. He's yet to face the Brewers in 2019 but allowed just four earned runs in 17 innings of work against them last year (1.000 WHIP).
Adrian Houser (4-4, 3.99 ERA) has been serviceable in a variety of roles for Milwaukee this year but is fresh off a rocky month of July (5.40 ERA, .273 opponent batting average in 25 innings). However, he's allowed just two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Cubs in his career.
Friday, 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network
Zach Davies (8-4, 3.56 ERA) (MIL) +125 / +1.5 runs (-180) / Over 8.5 runs (-120) Jose Quintana (8-7, 4.47 ERA) (CHC) -135 / -1.5 runs (+150) / Under 8.5 runs (EVEN)MLB free play: Over
The wind will be blowing in at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon, but bettors should expect a high-scoring contest between the Brewers and Cubs nonetheless.Zach Davies will toe the rubber for Milwaukee, and his numbers against Chicago are not inspiring. In his last 15 starts against the Cubs, Davies is 5-6 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.255 WHIP. Chicago third baseman Kris Bryant and left fielder Kyle Schwarber both possess an OPS above .900 against Davies, and the right-hander owns a 5.05 ERA in his last 11 starts.
Jose Quintana has looked lost on the mound for the Cubs since June. He has produced a 5.33 ERA in his last 10 outings. The southpaw from Colombia has had three brutal starts against the Brewers in 2019, with an 0-2 record and an 8.79 ERA. Look for catcher Yasmani Grandal (3-for-6 off Quintana) to make an impression, along with irrepressible right fielder Christian Yelich (1.118 OPS in 2019) and hot-hitting rookie second baseman Keston Hiura (.358 average last 14 games).
Saturday, 2:20 p.m. ET
Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 3.48 ERA) will get the call for the Brewers on Saturday, and he's already faced the Cubs twice this season, with a 1.50 ERA and opponent batting average of .132 (12 innings). Chicago is batting just .234 against lefties this year (29th in the majors), which is part of the reason they brought in the American League leader in doubles, second baseman Nicholas Castellanos, from the Tigers at the trade deadline.Cole Hamels (6-3, 2.98 ERA) will make his first start for the Northside Nine since June 28, when he hit the IL with a left oblique strain. He could be on a tight leash for manager Joe Maddon, which is just as well for Chicago, as center fielder Lorenzo Cain and left fielder Ryan Braun are a combined 19-for-62 (.306) off Hamels all-time with four home runs.
The bullpens could be busy early for both clubs Saturday, something neither Maddon nor Brewers manager Craig Counsell are looking forward to at the moment. Both reliefs corps sport ERAs of more than 4.00 over the last 14 days.
Sunday, 2:20 p.m. ET, TBS
Milwaukee and Chicago are tough to split in the series finale. The edge goes to the home team with a starter who has some momentum going in Yu Darvish (3-4, 4.46 ERA).Darvish was 1-1 in five July starts, with a 2.93 ERA and 0.815 WHIP, by far his best month of the season. He's yet to face the Brewers in 2019 but allowed just four earned runs in 17 innings of work against them last year (1.000 WHIP).
Adrian Houser (4-4, 3.99 ERA) has been serviceable in a variety of roles for Milwaukee this year but is fresh off a rocky month of July (5.40 ERA, .273 opponent batting average in 25 innings). However, he's allowed just two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Cubs in his career.
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