Brewers Vs Cubs Opens With Milwaukee's 3-2 Division Series Edge
Brewers vs Cubs opened for the first time in 2026 with Milwaukee carrying the sharper recent form and the postseason edge from last October’s Division Series. The Brewers beat the Cubs three games to two then, and they entered this meeting after winning eight of nine before Sunday’s loss to the Twins.
Yelich Returns To Wrigley
Christian Yelich was back earlier this week after missing about a month with a groin strain, giving Milwaukee another established bat for a club that has already changed a lot since last fall. Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio returned from hand injuries last week, and the Brewers have outscored opponents 43-24 over an 8-2 run across a 10-game span since those returns.
That stretch came after a 5-1 homestand that included a sweep of the Yankees and a series win against the Padres. Milwaukee was still last in home runs, but the rest of the roster has carried the load around it: Brice Turang has stayed one of the best all-around second basemen in baseball, Joey Ortiz has remained one of the best defensive and worst offensive shortstops in baseball, and William Contreras plus Gary Sánchez have handled the backstop work.
Milwaukee's Pitching Edge
The Brewers also brought the better run-prevention numbers into the series. They owned a top-five ERA and strong strikeout totals, with Jacob Misiorowski putting up a 2.12 ERA, a 2.27 FIP, and 80 strikeouts in 51 innings, while Kyle Harrison had a 2.09 ERA, a 2.86 FIP, and 48 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. Brandon Sproat, by contrast, came in at 5.75 ERA, 5.74 FIP, and 36 strikeouts across 36 innings.
Aaron Ashby and DL Hall have anchored the Milwaukee bullpen, while Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have been more volatile even with electric stuff when they are on. The outfield defense has also stayed a strength, with Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Blake Perkins giving the Brewers one of the better units in baseball behind the mound staff.
Imanaga, Brown, Cabrera
Monday’s opener matched Shōta Imanaga against Sproat, with Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera lined up to face Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison on Tuesday and Wednesday. That gives Chicago a chance to answer a series that has already tilted Milwaukee’s way in the standings for years.
The Brewers have finished above the Cubs in the Central Division standings at the end of each of the last seven full seasons, and they still lead the all-time series 230-226. Chicago leads the all-time set at Wrigley Field 119-110, and across 456 games the Cubs have outscored Milwaukee 2,060-2,058, not counting last year’s Division Series. The rivalry has stayed tight over time, but the first 2026 meeting arrived with Milwaukee holding the clearer recent edge.
