The Milwaukee Brewers (46-40, 23-19 home) and the Chicago Cubs (39-45, 18-23 away) take the field for Game 3 of a four-game series between the two NL Central rivals. Milwaukee and Chicago split the first two matchups, the Brewers winning the first and the Cubs taking Game 2.
The first pitch of Wednesday’s contest is at 8:10 p.m. EST inside American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Chicago is the betting favorite (-155 moneyline), and the over/under total is 8.5 runs.
What to Know – Chicago Cubs
Chicago is limping into the All-Star break having won just twice over its last nine contests. The Cubs have fallen in the division, trailing the leading Cincinnati Reds by seven games.
The Cubs turn the ball over to Justin Steele (9-2, 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) for the midweek showdown. Steele has been one of the best pitchers in the NL this season and enters July on a three-game winning streak. The lefty has logged 85.1 innings on the hill, surrendering 23 earned runs on 69 hits and 19 walks while striking out 76 batters.
Chicago’s offense ranks 16th in the majors with a .248 team batting average and scoring 4.6 runs per game. The Cubs’ pitching staff is 12th in the MLB with a 4.01 team earned run average.
Nico Hoerner guides the Cubs’ offense leading the squad hitting .283 with 43 runs driven in. Christopher Morel has smacked a team-high 15 home runs in only 44 games of action.
What to Know – Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee has won seven of their previous ten contests, creating a two-way battle atop the NL Central. The Brewers sit only one game behind the Reds in the standings.
Right-hander Adrian Houser (3-2, 3.88 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) gets the ball for the Brewers. The 30-year-old makes his first start in July after a solid June, where he made five starts and ended the month 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA. Houser, who joined the rotation in May, has thrown 46.1 innings, allowing 20 earned runs, 56 hits, 14 walks, and 30 strikeouts.
On offense, the Brewers sit 29th amongst league teams batting .229 as a team and averaging 4.2 runs per game. The pitching staff for Milwaukee is 15th in the league sporting a 4.11 team ERA.
The Brewers lack power in the lineup but get the job done when they need it most. Christian Yelich has bounced back after a tough 2022 season at the plate, hitting .284 with ten home runs and 42 RBIs. Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez lead the organization with 12 home runs apiece.
The Pick is In
Milwaukee and Chicago are two similar teams, and the first two narrow contests have shown that. The Cubs have the advantage in Game 3 with the lefty Steele on the mound, and we expect the 27-year-old to have a solid outing. Behind a strong pitching performance, we like Chicago to win in another close contest.
The Pick: Chicago Cubs ML
