The “Month of Milwaukee” Begins: Brewers at Cubs, April 5-7, 2021

I don’t know if it was purely coincidental or if MLB’s schedule makers had potential COVID-interruptions on the mind, but over the first two weeks of the season, the Cubs play the Pirates and Brewers six times each. And that’s not all. Before the month is over, the Cubs will play three more games against the Brewers, accounting for 9 of their 20 total matchups this season.

So, then, today is just the first in a very heavy dose of Milwaukee over the next 3 weeks. I hope the Cubs make a good impression.

We’re Going Streaking

The Chicago Cubs (2-1) got off to a horrendous start on Thursday, before bouncing back and taking their first series of the year against the Pirates. They’re tied with the Reds for “first place” in the NL Central at the moment.

The Milwaukee Brewers (1-2) were paired up with the Twins for the first series of the year, and dropped two out of three. They were nearly swept, but a 3-run, 9th inning rally on Opening Day that forced extra innings saved their butts. They scored just 2 runs combined on Saturday and Sunday.

Game Times and Broadcasts Info

•   Monday, April 5th at 6:40 CT on MARQ, 670 The Score
•   Tuesday, April 6th at 6:40 CT on MARQ, 670 The Score
•   Wednesday, April 7th at 1:20 CT on MARQ, 670 The Score

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Trevor Williams (R) v. Brett Anderson (L)
Game 2: Adbert Alzolay (R) v. Freddy Peralta (R)
Game 3: Brandon Woodruff (R) v. Kyle Hendricks (R)

Chicago Cubs

•   C – Willson Contreras
•   1B – Anthony Rizzo
•   2B – David Bote
•   3B – Kris Bryant
•   SS – Javy Baez
•   LF – Joc Pederson
•   CF – Ian Happ
•   RF – Jason Heyward

Unavailable: Rowan Wick, Austin Romine, Jonathan Holder

Milwaukee Brewers

•   C – Omar Narvaez
•   1B – Keston Hiura
•   2B – Kolten Wong
•   3B – Travis Shaw
•   SS – Luis Urias
•   LF – Christian Yelich
•   CF – Lorenzo Cain
•   RF – Jackie Bradley Jr.

Unavailable: Derek Fisher, Tim Lopes, Mark Mathias, Jacob Nottingham, Justin Topa, Bobby Wahl

By the Numbers:

Run Differential:
Cubs: +3 (9th in MLB)
Brewers: -7 (25th in MLB)

Runs Scored Per Game:
Cubs: 4.00
Brewers: 2.67

Runs Allowed Per Game:
Cubs: 3.00
Brewers: 5.00

Keep An Eye Out For …

Cubs Starting Pitchers. There’ll be a lot to watch closely in this series, of course, but I’m keyed in on the Cubs trio of starters. I want to see if Kyle Hendricks bounces back from a very rough first outing. I want to see if Trevor Williams fastball regains some of its prior effectiveness (and proves the Cubs right for picking him over Alec Mills). And I’m just generally very excited to see Adbert Alzolay begin his full-time Cubs starting career in earnest. If everything breaks right for Alzolay, he could be a mainstay of the Cubs rotation for a very long time, and that all begins this week.

Kris Bryant. The former MVP is off to the best start on the team, with three hits (including a homer) and three walks in his first three games. An extension with Bryant remains extremely unlikely, so you hope the Cubs can squeeze every last ounce of productivity out of him before the end arrives. So far, so good.

Willson Contreras. The Cubs catcher has been *featured* in this lineup, batting second in two games and leadoff in the third. Unfortunately, he’s struck out six times and hasn’t yet recorded a hit (he does have two walks). Given his upside and importance to this offense, let’s keep a close eye on him until he breaks out of this ugly start.

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

more cubs news

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

Kinda Sounds Like Craig Counsell May Have a Set Top Three in the Batting Order

New Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said, generally, his batting order philosophy is the very simplistic (and very correct): just get your best hitters the most at bats. Sure, there's some play in that to set up good match-ups,...

Latest News

How to Watch Celtics vs. Hawks: Live Stream or on TV

The Atlanta Hawks (33-39) hope to continue a three-game home winning stretch when hosting the Boston Celtics (57-15) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET.In their last time out, the Celtics lost 120-118 to the Hawks on Monday....

Rangers vs. Cubs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Texas Rangers open their season as -120 favorites in a home matchup with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday at 7:35 PM ET, live on ESPN.Nathan Eovaldi will get the ball for Texas while Chicago will counter with Justin Steele.Rangers...

Dejounte Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

Will Dejounte Murray make four 3-pointers when the Atlanta Hawks face the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Dejounte Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsDejounte Murray's over/under for three-pointers...

Bogdan Bogdanovic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point over/under, Bogdan Bogdanovic needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Atlanta Hawks meet the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Bogdan Bogdanovic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsBogdan Bogdanovic's over/under...

Jayson Tatum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, it'll be the Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks, with Jayson Tatum needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer prop.Jayson Tatum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJayson Tatum's over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

Jaylen Brown Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Jaylen Brown must make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Jaylen Brown's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJaylen Brown's over/under for...

Derrick White Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Derrick White needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics meet the Atlanta Hawks, starting at 7:30 PM ET.Derrick White's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksDerrick White's over/under for...

BetMGM Promo Code Boosts Your First Bet Up to $1,500 for MLB, NCAA Tourney, and Beyond

The 2024 baseball season is upon us! But before the first pitch is thrown, why not enhance your MLB betting experience with the BetMGM Promo Code welcome offer. With Opening Day right around the corner, baseball fans are eager to...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

DraftKings Promo Code: Bet $5, Get $150 for NCAA Tourney, MLB, and More

It's a wonderful time of the year as the MLB season is opening, the NCAA Tournament continues, and more! Check out the latest DraftKings promo code to score a bonus when betting as a new user. DraftKings Promo Code Offer...

more cubs news