11
Brewers vs. Twins: 3 Matchups Deciding the Series
Brewers vs. Twins Weekend Series: Everything You Need to Know (Explained Simply)
Quick Overview
The Milwaukee Brewers (best record in baseball!) are hosting the Minnesota Twins for a three-game series this weekend (August 7–9). Milwaukee is riding a three-game winning streak, while Minnesota has lost four straight. Here’s your beginner-friendly guide to the matchup.
Current Standings (As of August 7)
| Team | Record | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 72–43 | 1st in MLB | 2.5 games ahead of Braves |
| Atlanta Braves | 69–45 | 2nd | Won 7 straight |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 69–46 | 3rd | Lost 6 straight |
| Minnesota Twins | ~65–68* | Under .500 | 4 games back in AL Central, 1 game back in Wild Card |
*Twins are "three games under .500" – meaning they’ve lost 3 more games than they’ve won.
[!IMPORTANT]
Key Takeaway: The Brewers are the best team in baseball right now. The Twins are struggling but still in the playoff hunt because the AL Central is wide open.
Injury Reports (Who’s Hurt?)
Milwaukee Brewers
Position Players:
- Jake Bauers (1B) – Day-to-day (abdominal soreness)
- Sal Frelick (OF) – Close to returning (rehab assignment)
Pitchers (LOTS of injuries):
- JoJo Romero – New acquisition; out until mid/late August (emergency appendectomy)
- Joel Kuhnel – On rehab assignment
- Rob Zastryzny – Return TBD
- Brandon Woodruff – Out for season
- Brian Fitzpatrick – Out for season
- Quinn Priester – Out for season
- Angel Zerpa – Out for season
Minnesota Twins
Position Players:
- Byron Buxton (OF) – On IL since late July (right hip strain); got an injection; return TBD
Pitchers:
- Cole Sands – Out for season
- David Festa – Out for season
- Mike Paredes – Return TBD
- Mick Abel – Return TBD
- Anthony Banda – Out for season
- Pablo López – Out for season
- Joe Ryan – Just placed on IL Thursday (glute strain)
[!IMPORTANT]
Simple Translation: Both teams are missing key pitchers. The Brewers have four pitchers out for the entire season. The Twins lost their starter Joe Ryan this week and have three pitchers out for the season.
Team Offense Comparison (Hitting Stats Explained)
ELI5 Stat Guide:
- Batting Average (AVG) = Hits ÷ At-bats (higher = better)
- OBP = On-Base Percentage (how often they reach base)
- SLG = Slugging Percentage (power hitting)
- OPS = OBP + SLG (overall hitting quality)
- HR = Home Runs
- Runs = Total runs scored
- Steals = Stolen bases
Milwaukee Brewers (7th Best OPS in MLB)
| Stat | Value | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Team AVG/OBP/SLG | .253 / .336 / .398 | — |
| OPS | .734 | 7th |
| Home Runs | 106 | Last (30th) |
| Runs Scored | 571 | 5th |
| Stolen Bases | 115 | 4th |
Top Power Hitters:
- Jake Bauers – 20 HR (team lead, but injured)
- Brice Turang – 16 HR
- Jackson Chourio – 15 HR (hot lately)
Other Hot Bats: Cooper Pratt, Andrew Vaughn, Garrett Mitchell, William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Gary Sánchez
Minnesota Twins (Tied 12th in OPS)
| Stat | Value | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Team AVG/OBP/SLG | .243 / .317 / .405 | — |
| OPS | .722 | Tied 12th |
| Home Runs | 136 | Tied 13th |
| Runs Scored | 535 | 9th |
| Stolen Bases | 69 | 17th |
Top Power Hitters (Buxton out):
- Kody Clemens – 19 HR
- Brooks Lee – 16 HR
- Josh Bell – 14 HR
Best Batting Averages:
- Ryan Jeffers – .283
- Trevor Larnach – .280
- Alex Jackson (ex-Brewer) – .308 in 27 games
Other Regulars: Victor Caratini (ex-Brewer), Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, Ryan Kreidler, Alan Roden (Wisconsin native!)
[!IMPORTANT]
Key Difference: Brewers don’t hit many HRs (last in MLB) but score runs (5th) and steal bases (4th). Twins hit more HRs but score fewer runs and steal less.
Pitching Staff Comparison
ELI5 Pitching Stats:
- ERA = Earned Run Average (runs allowed per 9 innings; lower = better)
- FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching (what ERA should be based on Ks, BBs, HRs; lower = better)
- WHIP = Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched (lower = better)
- K/BB = Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (higher = better)
Milwaukee Brewers (ELITE Pitching)
| Unit | ERA | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Team | 3.44 | 2nd |
| Starters | 3.36 | 1st (BEST) |
| Bullpen | 3.54 | 4th |
| Strikeouts | 1,128 | 1st (MOST) |
| Innings Pitched | 1,027⅔ | — |
Bullpen Anchors: Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick
Rotation Depth: DL Hall, Antonio Senzatela (new), Bryse Wilson
Current Setup: 6-man rotation + 7-man bullpen (playing 17 games in 17 days!)
Minnesota Twins (STRUGGLING Pitching)
| Unit | ERA | MLB Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Team | 4.63 | 26th |
| Starters | 4.43 | 22nd |
| Bullpen | 4.93 | 26th |
| Strikeouts | 942 | 19th |
| Innings Pitched | 1,014⅓ | — |
| Twins Bullpen Monthly ERA Rollercoaster: | Month | Bullpen ERA |
|---|---|---|
| March/April | 5.15 | |
| May | 4.40 | |
| June | 6.94 | |
| July | 2.86 | |
| August (so far) | 7.15 |
Key Relievers:
- Taylor Rogers – 47 appearances, 5.09 ERA (struggling)
- Andrew Morris – 3.25 ERA (solid)
- Yoendrys Gómez – 13 saves, 1.93 ERA (best reliever)
- Travis Adams – 5.67 ERA
- Kody Funderburk – 3.18 ERA
- Deadline Adds: A.J. Minter (2.49 ERA), Jeff Hoffman (3.86 ERA), Tommy Nance (3.46 ERA)
[!IMPORTANT]
Huge Advantage Brewers: Milwaukee has the best starting rotation in baseball and a top-4 bullpen. Minnesota’s bullpen has been wildly inconsistent – great in July, terrible in June and August.
Game-by-Game Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Friday, August 7 @ 6:40 PM CT
| Pitcher | Team | Record | ERA | FIP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Drohan (LHP) | Brewers | 6–4 | 3.48 | 3.02 | Very consistent lately – 6+ IP in each of last 5 starts. 89 Ks on season. First time facing Twins. |
| Zebby Matthews (RHP) | Twins | 4–8 | 5.22 | 5.03 | Replacing injured Joe Ryan. Career 5.64 ERA in 39 starts. Faced Brewers once last May: 3 IP, 4 ER, 5 K. |
ELI5: Drohan = reliable, goes deep into games. Matthews = struggling rookie filling in for injured ace.
Game 2: Saturday, August 8 @ 6:10 PM CT
| Pitcher | Team | Record | ERA | FIP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Gasser (LHP) | Brewers | 3–4 | 4.48 | 4.54 | Had some bad starts early, but last 3 starts: 16 IP, 4 runs (2.25 ERA), 15 Ks. Faced Twins once this year: 4 IP, 3 runs (2 earned). |
| Taj Bradley (RHP) | Twins | 9–4 | 3.69 | 3.91 | Best season of his career (was with Rays). 141 Ks in 126⅔ IP. Faced Brewers once last May (with Rays): 6 IP, 2 runs, 5 K. |
ELI5: Gasser = trending up lately. Bradley = having a breakout year, Twins’ best starter available.
Game 3: Sunday, August 9 @ 1:10 PM CT
| Pitcher | Team | Record | ERA | FIP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Misiorowski (RHP) | Brewers | 11–5 | 1.63 | 2.05 | LEADS MLB in ERA, FIP, Ks, WHIP, K/BB! 195 Ks in 127 IP (near 200 K milestone). Last start: 7 IP, 2 hits, 10 K, tough-luck loss. Faced Twins once: 6+ perfect innings, then HR, 6 K, WIN. |
| Connor Prielipp (LHP) | Twins | 3–5 | 4.75 | 3.87 | Rookie lefty. Last 4 starts: 22 IP, 9 runs (3.68 ERA), 26 K. Faced Brewers in May: 6 IP, 2 runs (1 earned), 8 K, took loss. |
ELI5: Misiorowski might be the best pitcher in baseball right now. Prielipp = decent rookie, pitched well vs Brewers earlier.
How to Watch / Listen
| Game | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Aug 7 | Brewers TV | Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ Milwaukee) |
| Saturday, Aug 8 | Brewers TV | Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ Milwaukee) |
| Sunday, Aug 9 | Brewers TV | Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ Milwaukee) |
Prediction
Author’s Pick: Brewers win 2 of 3.
Why? Milwaukee has:
- Best record in baseball
- Best starting rotation in baseball
- Elite bullpen
- Dominant ace (Misiorowski) on Sunday
- 9–4 record vs Twins since 2024
Summary
- Brewers are the best team in MLB (72–43) with elite pitching (1st in starter ERA, 2nd in team ERA).
- Twins are under .500 but still in playoff race due to weak division.
- Both teams missing key pitchers – Brewers have 4 out for season; Twins lost Joe Ryan this week.
- Offense: Brewers = speed & runs (few HRs). Twins = more HRs, less speed/runs.
- Pitching Matchups:
- Fri: Reliable Drohan vs. Struggling Matthews Brewers edge
- Sat: Hot Gasser vs. Breakout Bradley Close
- Sun: Cy Young candidate Misiorowski vs. Rookie Prielipp Big Brewers edge
- Prediction: Brewers take 2 of 3 at home.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What does "games back" mean?
It’s how many games a team trails the leader. If Team A is 72–43 and Team B is 69–45, Team B is 2.5 games back. Each win by Team A or loss by Team B increases the gap by 0.5 games.
2. What’s the IL (Injured List)?
Formerly called the "Disabled List." Players on the IL don’t count toward the 26-man roster limit. There’s a 10-day IL (short-term) and 60-day IL (long-term, often season-ending).
3. Why does ERA matter more than wins for pitchers?
A pitcher can pitch great but get no run support (lose 1–0), or pitch terribly but win 12–10. ERA measures actual performance – runs allowed per 9 innings.
4. What’s a "six-man rotation"?
Most teams use 5 starters (each pitches every 5th day). A 6-man rotation gives extra rest – each starter pitches every 6th day. Brewers are doing this because they’re playing 17 games in 17 days (no off-days).
5. Who is Jacob Misiorowski and why is he special?
He’s a 23-year-old rookie right-hander having a historic season. He leads ALL of MLB in:
- ERA (1.63)
- FIP (2.05)
- Strikeouts (195)
- WHIP (walks+hits per inning)
- K/BB ratio
He’s the clear front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year and in the Cy Young conversation.
Enjoy the series! Go Crew!
