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Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction and Odds for Saturday, April 9 (Brandon Woodruff is a Bad Dude on the Mound)

By Ben Heisler

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff held Cubs hitters to a .128 batting average in 2021.
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff held Cubs hitters to a .128 batting average in 2021. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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Meet the pitcher whose 2021 stat line is the walking definition for why pitcher wins shouldn't matter in baseball.

Last year, Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff pitched to a 2.56 ERA, striking out 211 batters in 179 innings, while walking just 43. Yet he finished with a 9-10 record on the season, receiving just over 2.5 runs per game of support from his team.

Today, they'll try to get off on the right foot against the Chicago Cubs at 1:20 p.m. local time. Milwaukee is opposed by Cubs left-hander Justin Steele who got a cup of coffee in the Big Leagues last season in 20 games, nine of which were starts.

Here are the latest odds for today's matinee at Wrigley Field over at WynnBET Sportsbook.

Brewers vs. Cubs Odds, Spread and Total

Run Line:

  • Brewers -1.5 (+100)
  • Cubs +1.5 (-120)

Moneyline:

  • Brewers -148
  • Cubs +138

Total:

  • 7.5 (OVER -110 | UNDER -110)

Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction and Pick

Chicago is very high on Steele's profile for 2022 and beyond, but I'm a bit surprised to see this line as short as it is for someone like Woodruff on the mound in very pitcher-friendly conditions.

The weather in Chicago is set to be very chilly with the wind blowing in from left field. Woodruff, already one of the most accurate pitchers in the sport, should thrive.

Last year, Cubs hitters hit just .128 against the right-hander; going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in five starts. He's 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA at Wrigley Field; giving up just six earned runs in 27.1 innings. Even with Chicago adding more players that hit for average in the lineup, they still led the Majors a season ago in strikeout percentage.

As for Milwaukee, they'll have only two left-handers in their starting lineup against Steele in Christian Yelich and Kolten Wong. Their team's best numbers came against left-handed pitching, as Milwaukee's right-handers had a BAbip (batting average of balls in play) of .285.

I expect the heavy division favorite in the NL Central to play more like it today.

LEAN: Brewers -1.5 (+100)

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