Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Tuesday 8/29, 7:05 CT

Today's roster move: Here

Tuesday notes...

• JUST CAN’T GET STARTED RIGHT: With their loss last night, the Cubs are 0-8 in the first games of series at home since the break for the All-Star Game. They are 7-0 in the second games of series at home since the break. After losing the first game of any series, the Cubs are 9-7 in the second. The Cubs have not lost back-to-back games to the same opponent since June 1-2, at home against the Guardians. They are 31-18 since then. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• JUST A LITTLE BIT HOT: Patrick Wisdom, last five games since August 13: .286/.286/.714 (4-for-14), two home runs, three runs scored.
• LEADING THE LEAGUE: Cody Bellinger is batting .341/.397/.576 (45-for-132) vs. lefthanded pitching this season. The .341 BA vs. lefties is the second-highest mark in the majors by a lefthanded batter (behind Freddie Freeman, .346).
• HAPP-ENINGS: Ian Happ is on a six-game hitting streak in which he’s batting .292/.370/.625 (7-for-24) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, six runs scored and only two strikeouts.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Justin Steele, LHP vs. Corbin Burnes, RHP

Justin Steele should get some love in the Cy Young race this year.

More importantly, he’s put together two straight solid starts after a few shaky outings. And he’s been good vs. the Brewers this year: 2.25 ERA, 1.083 WHIP in two starts covering 12 innings, with 13 strikeouts and just one walk.

Keep up the good work, Justin. Also FWIW, the Brewers are 17-20 this year vs. LH starters and since their nine-game winning streak began, they have faced only one LH starter (Andrew Heaney of the Rangers).

Corbin Burnes has had a good year, but he’s not as good as he was in 2021 when he won the N.L. Cy Young Award, or last year when he got some downballot Cy votes.

He faced the Cubs on Opening Day at Wrigley Field and they scored four runs in five innings off him. He’s had some really good outings this year, but also some clunkers like his last start, where he allowed eight hits, six runs and three home runs to the Twins.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here. It’s also on TBS (outside the Cubs and Brewers market territories). TBS announcers: Brian Anderson and Jeff Francoeur. Yes, I am aware that Anderson is the Brewers play-by-play voice. He’s also a consummate professional and if you watch this game on TBS you should find him calling the game as a neutral announcer would.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2023 Game Thread procedure will be like last year’s, similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.