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Brewers vs. Pirates: Who Wins the NL Central Showdown?
Brewers vs. Pirates: A Big 4-Game Series at Home!
What’s Happening This Week?
The Milwaukee Brewers are back home for a seven-day, seven-game homestand! It all starts with a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates from Monday, August 3rd through Thursday, August 6th. After that, the Minnesota Twins come to town for the weekend.
Important Timing: The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m. CT — just 100 minutes before the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. So trades could happen right before the game starts!
The Story So Far: Pirates vs. Brewers
Earlier This Season
- The Pirates have won 5 of 6 games against the Brewers.
- That includes a three-game sweep right before the All-Star break.
Since the All-Star Break
| Team | Record | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Brewers | 10-5 | Hot! |
| Pirates | 6-10 | Struggling |
The Brewers are playing much better lately, while the Pirates have cooled off. Milwaukee wants payback!
Injury Report: Who’s Out, Who’s Coming Back?
Milwaukee Brewers
Out for the Season
- Brandon Woodruff
- Brian Fitzpatrick
- Quinn Priester
- Angel Zerpa
- Rob Zastryzny (back in August, but behind others)
Close to Returning!
- Joel Kuhnel – on rehab assignment
- Kyle Harrison – expected to start Wednesday!
- Sal Frelick – close to a rehab assignment (outfielder)
Pittsburgh Pirates
Injured List
- Ryan O’Hearn (1B) – quad injury, out until late September
- Konnor Griffin – finger injury, out until early September
- Oneil Cruz – hand injury, close to rehab assignment
- Evan Sisk – could return this week
- Chris Devenski – could return this week
Team Offense: Who’s Hitting?
Milwaukee Brewers
Team Stats: .253/.337/.399 | .736 OPS (7th) | 101 HR (Last) | 555 Runs (5th) | 111 Steals (5th)
Top Hitters:
| Player | Avg / OBP / SLG | HR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Bauers | .270/.373/.504 | 20 | Just hit #20! |
| Brice Turang | .271/.364/.463 | 16 | Super consistent |
| Jackson Chourio | — | — | Young star |
| William Contreras | — | — | Catcher with pop |
| Garrett Mitchell | — | — | Speed + power |
| Christian Yelich | — | — | Former MVP |
| Andrew Vaughn | — | — | Solid middle of order |
| Cooper Pratt | — | — | Rookie contributor |
| Luis Lara | — | — | Depth piece |
| Gary Sánchez, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge | — | — | All contributing |
ELI5: OPS = On-Base Plus Slugging. It combines how often a player gets on base + how much power they have. Higher is better!
Pittsburgh Pirates
Team Stats: .258/.335/.416 | .751 OPS (3rd!) | 139 HR (9th) | 578 Runs (2nd!) | 100 Steals (8th)
Top Hitters:
| Player | HR | Other Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Lowe | 23 | 25 doubles, 71 RBI, 68 runs |
| Bryan Reynolds | 10+ | Veteran leader |
| Esmerlyn Valdez | 10+ | Power bat |
| Spencer Horwitz | 10+ | First baseman |
| Ryan O’Hearn (injured) | 10+ | Out until Sept |
| Oneil Cruz (injured) | 10+ | Superstar talent |
| Nick Gonzales | — | .312 avg, 127 hits (team high!) |
| Henry Davis, Jared Triolo, Jake Mangum, Marcell Ozuna | — | Regular contributors |
| Jhostynxon Garcia, Jacob Gonzalez, Endy Rodríguez, Rafael Flores Jr. | — | Depth |
Key Point: The Pirates score LOTS of runs (2nd in MLB) and hit for more power (3rd in OPS) than the Brewers. But Milwaukee has been winning more lately!
Team Pitching: Arms Race
Milwaukee Brewers ELITE PITCHING
Team ERA: 3.48 (2nd in MLB!)
- Starters: 3.36 ERA (#1 in MLB!)
- Bullpen: 3.64 ERA (6th)
- Strikeouts: 1,081 (2nd) in 991⅔ innings
Best Relievers:
| Pitcher | ERA | Saves | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abner Uribe | 2.23 | 6 | Fireballer |
| Trevor Megill | 2.83 | 18 | Closer |
| Chad Patrick | 3.50 | 4 | Reliable |
| DL Hall | 2.25 | — | Just back from injury! |
| Grant Anderson, Bryse Wilson, Garrett Stallings | — | — | Depth |
ELI5: ERA = Earned Run Average. How many runs a pitcher gives up per 9 innings. Lower is better! Under 3.00 is amazing.
Most Appearances: Aaron Ashby (51 games)
Pittsburgh Pirates Struggling Staff
Team ERA: 4.31 (20th in MLB)
- Starters: 4.29 ERA (16th)
- Bullpen: 4.34 ERA (22nd)
- Strikeouts: 1,047 (3rd) in 1,011⅔ innings
Bullpen Mix:
| Pitcher | ERA | Saves/Appearances | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregory Soto | 3.69 | 14 saves, 47 app | 5 blown saves |
| Mason Montgomery | 3.80 | 46 app | Workhorse |
| Yohan Ramírez | 3.00 | 46 app | Solid |
| Camilo Doval | 4.54 | — | Just traded from Yankees! |
| Carmen Mlodzinski | 3.15 | 9 starts + 16 relief | Swingman |
| Wilber Dotel (5.11), Ron Marinaccio (6.75), Noah Murdock (0.00 in 3 IP) | — | — | Mixed results |
The 4-Game Schedule: Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Monday, Aug 3 @ 6:40 p.m.
| Brewers | vs. | Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| RHP Brandon Sproat | RHP Bubba Chandler | |
| 3-6, 5.05 ERA, 5.19 FIP | 3-8, 4.56 ERA, 4.34 FIP | |
| Struggles with consistency | 23 y.o., 57 walks in 104⅔ IP (4.9 BB/9!) | |
| Last start: 6 IP, 3 R, 5 K in 3-0 loss | Last start: 4 IP, 5 R vs D-backs | |
| vs PIT: 3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K (ND) | vs MIL: 7⅓ IP, 11 R allowed, 9 K |
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching. What a pitcher’s ERA should be based on things they control (K, BB, HR). Lower is better.
Game 2: Tuesday, Aug 4 @ 6:40 p.m.
| Brewers | vs. | Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| RHP Logan Henderson | RHP Jared Jones | |
| 5-1, 2.66 ERA, 2.80 FIP | 2-2, 3.81 ERA, 3.48 FIP | |
| Career: 8-1, 2.34 ERA in 69⅓ IP! | Turns 25 Thursday | |
| Last: 5⅔ IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K (W) | July: 5 starts, 27 IP, 2.00 ERA, 33 K! | |
| vs PIT (May): 5 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K (ND) | vs MIL (2024): 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K (W) |
Henderson has been AMAZING. One of the best young starters in baseball!
Game 3: Wednesday, Aug 5 @ 6:40 p.m. ESPN EXCLUSIVE
| Brewers | vs. | Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| TBD (LHP Kyle Harrison expected!) | RHP Paul Skenes | |
| 8-2, 3.01 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 101 K in 83⅔ IP | 9-9, 3.90 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 156 K in 124⅔ IP | |
| vs PIT: 12 scoreless IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 19 K! | Pace for 200+ K again | |
| Missed few weeks (arm, not serious) | Last 2: 9⅓ IP, 10 R, 13 H, 6 BB, 18 K | |
| vs MIL: 3-2, 2.97 ERA, 41 K in 33⅓ IP, won last 2 |
Skenes is a SUPERSTAR. But he’s struggled lately. Harrison has OWNED the Pirates (12 scoreless innings!). Huge matchup!
Game 4: Thursday, Aug 6 @ 1:10 p.m. (Day game!)
| Brewers | vs. | Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| LHP Shane Drohan | RHP Braxton Ashcraft | |
| 6-4, 3.48 ERA, 3.03 FIP, 89 K | 11-4, 3.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 140 K in 127⅓ IP | |
| Last 5 starts: all 6+ IP | 26 y.o., solid sophomore year | |
| July: 6 starts, 36 IP, 4.00 ERA, 37 K | Last 2: 11 IP, 5 R, 9 H, 3 BB, 10 K (2 W) | |
| vs PIT: 10⅓ IP, 6 R (4 ER), 9 H, 1 BB, 8 K | vs MIL: 8 IP, 5 R, 5.63 ERA, 8 K (2 ND) |
How to Watch & Listen
| Date | Game | TV / Stream | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Aug 3 | 6:40 p.m. | Brewers TV | 620 WTMJ (Brewers Radio Network) |
| Tue, Aug 4 | 6:40 p.m. | Brewers TV | 620 WTMJ |
| Wed, Aug 5 | 6:40 p.m. | ESPN / ESPN App ONLY | 620 WTMJ |
| Thu, Aug 6 | 1:10 p.m. | Brewers TV | 620 WTMJ |
Wednesday is ESPN ONLY! No Brewers TV that night.
Prediction
"The Pirates have dominated the season series thus far, but I think the Brewers will look to bounce back from what was ultimately a disappointing West Coast trip this week. Give me the Brewers to win three of four."
Prediction: Brewers win 3 of 4 games.
Quick Summary
- Brewers host Pirates for 4 games (Mon-Thu)
- Trade deadline Monday 5 p.m. — right before Game 1!
- Pirates won 5 of 6 earlier, but Brewers 10-5 vs Pirates 6-10 since break
- Harrison returns Wednesday — he’s dominated Pirates (12 scoreless IP!)
- Henderson (Tue) & Skenes (Wed) = must-watch games
- Brewers pitching is ELITE (#1 starters, #2 team ERA)
- Pirates hit better but pitch worse
- Watch on Brewers TV (Mon, Tue, Thu) or ESPN (Wed)
- Prediction: Brewers take 3 of 4
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. What time is the trade deadline, and why does it matter?
Monday at 5:00 p.m. CT — just 100 minutes before first pitch. Teams can trade players until then. The Brewers or Pirates could make a move that changes the series!
2. Who is Kyle Harrison, and why is Wednesday a big deal?
He’s a lefty starter the Brewers got in a trade. He missed a few weeks with a minor arm issue. Before getting hurt, he threw 12 SCORELESS innings vs. the Pirates with 19 strikeouts! His return is huge.
3. What’s the deal with Paul Skenes?
He’s a 24-year-old superstar for the Pirates. Won Rookie of the Year last year. Usually dominant, but got hit hard in his last two starts (10 runs in 9⅓ innings). Still scary good, though.
4. Why is Wednesday on ESPN only?
MLB has national TV deals. ESPN bought the rights to this game, so it won’t be on the usual Brewers TV channel. You’ll need ESPN or the ESPN App.
5. The Pirates have better hitting stats. Why pick the Brewers?
Baseball isn’t just hitting! Pitching wins championships. The Brewers have the #1 starting rotation ERA in all of baseball (3.36) and a top-6 bullpen. The Pirates’ staff is bottom-10. Great pitching beats great hitting in short series.
Bottom Line: The Brewers are healthier, pitching better, and playing at home. The Pirates hit well but can’t pitch. Expect a fun, competitive series — but Milwaukee takes 3 of 4!
Go Brew Crew!
