Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Milwaukee Brewers delivered a dominant performance at Wrigley Field under perfect offensive conditions Monday night.
- Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the Brewers as the class of the Central.
- The Cubs front office now faces a critical trade deadline with multiple competitors still within striking distance of the division lead.
The powerful Milwaukee Brewers lineup came to Wrigley Field on Monday and the weather cooperated, with a 77 degree night and winds blowing out to centerfield at 15 mph. If there were ever a game fit to wake up an offensive juggernaut, it was this one, and the Cubs were not prepared.
Shota Imanaga lasted just over four innings, giving up eight earned runs. Christian Yelich and Jake Bauers teed off on the Japanese right-hander, banking bombs off the Wrigley Field scoreboard. Add in doubles allowed by Sal Frelick and Andrew Vaughn, and the Cubs trade deadline needs have never been clearer. However, this result was more about the Brewers, a team rounding into form so quickly it should terrify the rest of the NL Central.
Pat Murphy and Craig Counsell know the state of the NL Central
When asked about the Brewers postgame, Counsell said what we all were thinking. Milwaukee is the class of the NL Central until proven otherwise. Counsell was forced to relive his nightmare from 2025, in which the Brewers defeated his Cubs in the NLDS, getting the ultimate revenge for his untimely departure.
"The Brewers are the team that’s won the division the last three years. That’s what we want to do,” said Counsell. “Last year, they beat us and they had a fabulous season. So, we’ve got to improve to get there. They’re a good team again -- no question about it. That’s where it’s at."
The Cubs loss was their first at home since mid-April, ending a streak of 15 straight home victories. For the Brewers, this was not just another game, but a chance to send a message of their own. Milwaukee president of baseball operations Matt Arnold admitted as much pregame.
“Think of the magnitude of that series,” Arnold said. ‘Those are franchise-altering games.”
The Brewers are just warming up
What's perhaps most concerning from the Cubs perspective is that Milwaukee hasn't even hit its stride just yet. While the Brewers rank in the top-10 in most hitting and pitching categories, they've done so without the same rotation depth as last season (thanks to trading Freddy Peralta), and with some key injuries in their rotation to the likes of Quinn Priester and Brandon Woodruff.
Stat | Rank |
|---|---|
Team ERA | 3rd |
Pitcher Strikeouts/game | 1st |
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio | 6th |
Team Runs/Game | 6th |
Team Batting Average | 9th |
Much of what makes this Cubs series so pivotal is that it's the latest in the season these two teams have faced off for the first time since 2004. Milwaukee still arrived at Wrigley on Monday with just a 1.5-game deficit, and firing on all cylinders. Their manager may not see it that way, and in a sense that is what makes them so scary to face.
“There’s a lot of time to play out,” Murphy said. “It sounds cliché, but I’m really just worried about today, and trying to play good baseball, and trying to find ourselves. I still don’t think we’ve hit our stride yet.”
How the Cubs can combat the inevitable Brewers run
The Cubs cannot just be worried about beating out the Brewers. After all, the St. Louis Cardinals are well within striking distance, and even the Pirates and Reds have plenty to play for. All Hoyer can do is worry about his team, even if that means competing for an NL Wild Card spot instead of the Central itself.
The Cubs have a few options at their disposal. The first is to make a big move at the MLB trade deadline. Chicago has already been connected to former Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, who was dealt to the New York Mets before the start of the regular season. Peralta has an ERA of 3.31 in 10 starts in Queens. In a Cubs rotation that is lacking the likes of Justin Steele, Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton, the addition of Peralta could quell a lot of concerns in the fanbase.
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