The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs opened a critical stretch in the National League Central race on Friday, the first game of seven meetings in 10 days between the division leaders. With Milwaukee at 85-52 and Chicago at 77-60 entering the opener, this series is already carrying extra weight beyond the usual late-summer matchup.
The Cubs sent Clay Holmes to the mound for his fifth start since coming to Chicago at the trade deadline. Holmes has quickly become part of the rotation after moving from his longtime role as a Yankee closer and has given the Cubs a different kind of look as they try to keep pace at the top of the division.
What the Brewers did before the game
Milwaukee made a roster move before first pitch, reinstating Abner Uribe and placing Bryse Wilson on the 15-day injured list. Wilson threw 2 2/3 innings on Sunday before later tweaking his back, so the Brewers were forced to make an adjustment as the series began.
The matchup also came at a time when both teams were dealing with important moving parts. The Brewers were trying to manage a pitching staff that had already been hit by the Wilson injury, while the Cubs were hoping Holmes could continue settling into his new role. In a stretch this short, those details can matter just as much as the standings.
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s power surge adds to the spotlight
Chicago also entered the game with Pete Crow-Armstrong in the middle of a major power run. He hit three home runs on Saturday and two more on Sunday, giving him 31 homers since June 1 and keeping him in the National League MVP race. That kind of production gives the Cubs another reason to believe this stretch can swing the division picture.
There is still a long way to go, but seven games in 10 days between the Brewers and Cubs is exactly the kind of run that can change the mood of a race. If either club can create separation here, it will have a much cleaner path down the stretch in the NL Central.
