It’s getaway day with a 12:40 start time, as the Brew Crew host the Cubbies in the last of a 3 game homestand battle between divisional rivals. The Cubs Jake Arrieta (2-0) takes the mound against Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1) who has 20 SO and 0 walks in 2 appearances thus far in 2021. I like Burnes to keep his ridiculous WHIP (0.16) low and the Cubs cold bats to stay cold. My pick is the Brewers to win this one outright.
When it rains it pours. As if the Cubs don’t have enough problems for manager David Ross to worry about already, now an outbreak of COVID-19 has the team scrambling. On Monday the Cubs placed three players; relief pitchers Brandon Workman, Jason Adam and Dan Winkler on the Covid-19 related injured list and called up 3 minor league arms in relief. Two coaches also tested positive, first base coach Craig Driver and bullpen coach Chris Young. The Cubs will have to wait to see how bad things get with this outbreak – COVID19 Yuk! For the Cubs however, that’s not even the worst of the bad news. Chicago is last in the Majors with a dreadful .164 Batting average and going into Tuesday’s game 2 vs the Crew they had lost three straight. The Cubs are also last in the majors in Slugging percentage at just .321 and are near the bottom (27 of 30 teams) in runs scored. In fact the only Cub’s player batting north of .250 is Kris Bryant who is hitting .265 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. For Chicago Ross will send veteran pitcher Jake Arrieta to the mound to try and stop the bleeding for his Cubs. Jake is 2-0 this season with 12 IP and has a 2.25 ERA so far. The Brewers, on the other hand, are definitely trending in all the right directions for manager Craig Counsell. Going into Tuesday’s game 2 the Crew had won three straight and five of six against their division rivals the Cubs and Cardinals. Backup OF Billy McKinney has been outstanding in a pinch hitting role. McKinney is batting a gaudy .667 in 9 AB so far this season and has been key in keeping rallies going for Milwaukee Monday against the Cubs McKinney came in to pinch hit and had 3 hits and scored a run. As expected, superstar RF Christain Yelich is off to a strong start hitting .333 for the Crew. Council will call on Corbin Burnes, who is 0-1 in 2021 but has a ridiculous 0.73 ERA with 20 strikeouts and zero walks. The 5th year vet adds a downright silly WHIP of 0.16 and these numbers don’t bode well for the slumping Cubs. The Brewers and Cubs have actually each won 26 games vs one another since 2018 but the way I see this one playing out, with the Brewers bats heating up and the Cubs bats still in apparent hibernation, I like the Brewers to win.
