Stephanie: They hit nine home runs in a single game. Nine. It was a franchise-record, absolute demolition of the Milwaukee Brewers, and yet, somehow, we are still talking about this series like nothing happened.
Sean: That is exactly what makes baseball so frustratingly unpredictable, Steph. You can have Alex Bregman tear the roof off Wrigley Field with three homers, you can set a team record for total long balls, and then the very next night, the Brewers come back and hand you a 9-4 loss on their own power.
Stephanie: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, the number one daily sports podcast for the true fan. I’m Stephanie, and I am joined by my analyst Sean, who is currently trying to figure out how we went from a 17-3 rout to a 9-4 drubbing in twenty-four hours. We are previewing Game Four of this NL Central rivalry matchup right here at Wrigley Field.
Sean: And finally, we give our bold predictions for tonight. Do we see another offensive explosion, or does Milwaukee’s defense clamp down? Let’s get into the weeds.
Stephanie: Let’s start with the big picture. Yesterday, I predicted a Cubs sweep of this four-game series. Sean, you were more conservative, saying they’d win three of the four. How do you feel about those calls now after yesterday’s 9-4 loss?
Sean: I think my call was smarter than yours, honestly. Winning three of four is aggressive enough when you’re playing a division leader. But looking at the rotation for tonight... this is where the series might be decided.
Stephanie: Who is on the mound for the Cubs tonight?
Sean: It’s David Peterson. He’s starting tonight. Now, Peterson has been solid in spot starts, but he’s facing a Brewers offense that just proved they can punish any pitcher who gives them an inch. Remember, Christian Yelich hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning last night to seal it.
Stephanie: Yelich is dangerous. And Joey Ortiz homered too. So Peterson has to navigate a lineup that is hot. Who is Milwaukee throwing?
Sean: Milwaukee is likely going with their ace, though the brief doesn’t explicitly name the probable, we know they have Brandon Woodruff on the 60-Day IL, which is a huge blow for them. So they’re probably turning to someone like Edward Cabrera, who is also on the 15-Day IL... wait, let me check the injury list again.
Stephanie: Wait, Cabrera is on the IL? So who is pitching for Milwaukee?
Sean: The data shows Cabrera is 15-Day IL. Woodruff is 60-Day IL. Quinn Priester is 60-Day IL. So Milwaukee’s rotation is decimated. They might be leaning heavily on their bullpen or a lower-tier starter. That actually favors Peterson if he can keep the ball in the park.
Stephanie: So the narrative shifts from 'Can the Cubs handle the Brewers' to 'Can the Brewers handle their own injuries?' But defensively, the Cubs had a rough night. How do you stabilize the pitching staff against a team that just hit nine home runs in a previous game?
Sean: You don’t panic. You pitch to contact. Peterson needs to induce ground balls. If he tries to overpower them, he’ll end up like the pitcher who gave up that Yelich bomb. The key is command, not velocity.
Stephanie: Command over velocity. Got it. Stick with us, because we’re diving into the lineup questions next.
Stephanie: Before we go, remember to subscribe, rate, and review the Beatline Podcast Network wherever you get your audio. We are your daily source for everything Cubs.
Sean: Up the Cubs. See you tomorrow.