National League Central Division rivals meet up at Wrigley Field on Monday night to begin a critical three-game series. Both teams are right in the middle of the playoff race, and this series will have a big impact on the standings.
Milwaukee comes into this series having won eight straight games, and they have been beating some great teams during this stretch. The Brewers currently have a four-game lead in the NL Central, but they still have work to do.
The Cubs just completed a 5-2 road trip, and they have lost just one series out of their last 12. Chicago is currently holding onto a Wild Card spot, but they are also the team that is the closest to the Brewers in the division.
It is the Cubs that are the moneyline betting favorites at -125 over the Brewers on Monday night.
Pitching Powering the Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are finally healthy again in the starting rotation, and that has been a huge key for them of late. Milwaukee has a team ERA of just 3.97 on the year, and they are actually capable of being even better than that.
Wade Miley will take the mound against his former team in Chicago, and he has gone 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA on the year. Keeping the ball in the park is going to be priority number one for the veteran lefthander.
Willy Adames has been on a tear of late for the Brewers, and he leads the team with 21 home runs. Milwaukee isn’t known for being great on offense, but they have scored at least five runs in five straight games.
Cubs Have Loaded Offense
The Cubs have been terrific at the plate since the All-Star Break, and they have outscored the Brewers by nearly 100 runs this year. Chicago is hitting .254 as a team, and they have also belted 155 home runs.
Cody Bellinger is playing himself into the MVP race in the National League as he is hitting .321 to go along with 75 RBIs. Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki have been swinging the bats well also, and Suzuki has a 10-game hitting streak.
It will be Jameson Taillon getting the start for the Cubs in this game, and he is just 7-8 with a 5.60 ERA. Those numbers are a bit misleading, though, as Taillon has been pitching much better in the second half of the year.
Cubs Win Series Opener
This should be a terrific series between the rivals, but don’t expect great pitching in the series opener. It will be the offenses that decide the game on Monday night, and that’s a great thing for the home team.
The Cubs come into this game with a ton of momentum and confidence at the plate, and that should carry over into this series. Milwaukee has been doing nearly everything right during this winning streak, but they just can’t keep up with the Cubs in this game.
Bet the Chicago Cubs on the moneyline at -125 as they are able to take the series opener from the Milwaukee Brewers.
