Milwaukee Brewers

Ian Happ brought the Cubs back with a solo shot before Chicago fell to the Brewers in an extra innings defeat. They had a strong chance to put up multiple runs in the tenth but couldn't collect a single hit to drive home Swanson and Morel from second and third. The Cubs go into their final two games 1.5 behind the Marlins and tied with the Reds. With disadvantage in both potential tiebreakers, the Cubs must win both remaining games and need two losses from the Marlins and one from the Reds--any other outcomes render the final game moot. 

The Cubs enter the final series of the season half a game out of the final NL Wild Card spot. A devastating sweep in Atlanta puts them in a difficult position. And the fact that they played each game closely against the best team in the majors comes as little consolation--particularly as defensive miscues and a depleted bullpen can be blamed for each loss rather than the petty baseball fates. The Cubs have an uphill climb as they take on the NL Central leaders. Mere weeks ago, fans could hope that the Cubs would come into this series with a chance to knock the Brewers off of that hilltop.

The Cubs have gone seven for their last ten, climbing into the second Wild Card position. They next get their opportunity against the Milwaukee Brewers, who are eight are on an eight-game winning streak that extended their NL Central lead to four. This is the first of two crucial series remaining in which the Cubs directly confront the Brew Crew. See below for matchups in this three game series at Wrigley Field.

Game 131, Monday, August 28, 7:05 pm central
CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (7-8, 5.60 ERA)
MIL: LHP Wade Miley (6-3, 3.18 ERA)

The Cubs dropped the rubber match to the Guardians in the 10th to lose the series 1-2. They enter a three-game four-game road series against the Brewers 38-44, six games back in the division and only 3.5 in front of the last place Cardinals. The Brewers begin 45-39 and ties for the NL Central lead with the Reds. See below for your holiday series matchups.

Game 83, Monday, July 3, 1:10 pm central
CHC: LHP Drew Smyly (7-5, 3.96 ERA)
MIL: RHP Julio Teheran (2-3, 2.85 ERA)

The Chicago Cubs open the 2023 with a three-game series at Wrigley Field. Bring your mittens and balaclavas. See below for the daily matchups, such as they stand. Updates to come as the Cubs announce their starters for games two and three. [Updates made March 31.]

Game 1, March 30, 1:20 pm central

CHC: RHP Marcus Stroman (0-0, -.-- ERA)

MIL: RHP Corbin Burnes (0-0, -.-- ERA)

It's not that there is absolutely nothing positive to say about the Cubs right now. It's that the positives are so deep beneath so much raw sewage, I just don't have it in me to go baling through the muck to uncover them.

Instead, I have decided that the best way to get through this latest low spot in this awful season is to find a National League team even more woeful than our Cubs.

There are some solid candidates:

Cubs (2-1; 1st in NL Central) vs. Brewers (1-2; 4th in NL Central) at Miller Park

Head-to-head Record
First meeting in 2009. Cubs won 9 of 16 games between the teams in 2008.

Pitching matchups
Friday, 3:05pm
Rich Harden (0-0) vs. Braden Looper (0-0)

Saturday, 6:05pm
Carlos Zambrano (1-0, 1.50) vs. David Bush (0-0, 18.00)

Sunday, 7:05pm
Ryan Dempster (0-0, 3.00) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-1, 13.50)

From coverage of this afternoon's Cubs/Brewers game, Milwaukee's home opener, in Friday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: