On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Brewers series preview

There’s not a lot I can tell you about the Brewers that you didn’t already know from having seen them play the Cubs last weekend in Milwaukee. Here’s last week’s series preview with more on the Brewers. The Cubs are 4-5 against the Brewers so far this year, and really, the Cubs should have swept that series at Miller Park. Bad bullpen work doomed those two losses. Presumably, that issue was addressed this week.

Hopefully, the Cubs returning to Wrigley Field, where they are 36-18, will help.

Fun fact

Since the Cubs returned to contention in 2015, they are 50-36 against the Brewers, and won the season series each of the four seasons from 2015-18. (Gotta get going to win it this year!)

Pitching matchups

Friday: Jose Quintana, LHP (8-7, 4.47 ERA, 1.363 WHIP, 4.11 FIP) vs. Zach Davies, RHP (8-4, 3.56 ERA, 1.365 WHIP, 4.62 FIP)

Saturday: Cole Hamels (6-3, 2.98 ERA, 1.204 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) vs. Gio Gonzalez, LHP (2-1, 3.48 ERA, 1.161 WHIP, 3.29 FIP)

Hamels’ start was confirmed by Joe Maddon Thursday evening. No word on who will go off the 25-man roster for him, though.

Sunday: Yu Darvish, RHP (3-5, 4.46 ERA, 1.223 WHIP, 4.74 FIP) vs. Adrian Houser, RHP (4-4, 3.99 ERA, 1.347 WHIP, 4.18 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Brewers market territories)

Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago

Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, WGN, TBS (outside Cubs and Brewers market territories)

Prediction

I mean, I really have no idea. The Cubs have played extremely well at home this year. The Brewers are 24-29 on the road and have won only one series away from Miller Park since May (three of four from the Diamondbacks in Arizona last month).

So I guess, two of three. If that doesn’t sound very confident, this team isn’t inspiring confidence lately.

Up next

The Cubs host the Oakland Athletics in an interleague series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.