Whitney: Garrett Mitchell went four-for-five with a homer and four RBIs on Saturday. Jackson Chourio just finished another four-hit outing. And now? They’re flying into Pittsburgh with a rotation that looks like it’s been through a war zone.
Terry: It’s a stark contrast to yesterday’s 4-3 loss, but the offensive firepower is undeniable. The question isn’t if they can score; it’s whether the pitching staff can keep the Pirates from blowing them out of the water at PNC Park.
Whitney: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Whitney, and this is your daily Milwaukee Brewers preview. Terry, how are you doing today?
Terry: Doing well, Whitney. It’s a big day for us. We’ve got nine days left in the regular season, and the stakes are incredibly high.
Whitney: That’s right. We are sitting first in the NL Central with a 93-57 record. Tonight, we break down the matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. We’ll look at the pitching probables, discuss the injury list that continues to haunt us, and figure out what keys to the series will decide our playoff fate.
Terry: Exactly. We’re going deep on the bullpen usage, the impact of Brandon Woodruff being out for the season, and how Garrett Mitchell and Jackson Chourio need to carry the load when the starting pitching isn’t quite there yet.
Whitney: Let’s get right into it. Segment One: The Series and the Pitching Probables. Terry, we talked about Logan Henderson yesterday. He was supposed to be the anchor here. But looking at the current state of things, who is actually taking the mound for Milwaukee in this series opener against Pittsburgh?
Terry: Well, Whitney, it’s messy. With Brandon Woodruff, Bryse Wilson, Grant Anderson, Quinn Priester, and Rob Zastryzny all on the IL—some for 60 days, some for 15—the depth chart is stretched thin. For the series opener, it likely falls to someone like Robert Gasser or Shane Drohan to step up.
Whitney: Robert Gasser or Shane Drohan? That is a massive drop-off from what we hoped for. Yesterday, we were talking about Henderson getting his turn, but it seems like those plans have evaporated. How does that affect your confidence in the win total?
Terry: It affects it significantly. Look, the Brewers are 93-57. They’re not panicking. But when you lose Brandon Woodruff for the year, you lose your ace-level stability. You’re relying on guys who are either rehabbing or trying to find their spot in a tight race. Against a Pirates team that’s fighting for position too, every run matters.
Whitney: Right. And remember, Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a pushover. They’re in the mix. So if Gasser or Drohan gives up three early runs, the bullpen has to come in hot. Let’s talk about the bullpen. Who is available tonight?
Terry: You’ve got Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, Garrett Stallings, and Abner Uribe. That’s a lot of arms, but none of them are closers by traditional definition. You’re looking at a multi-inning approach. You can’t just plug in one guy for the ninth.
Whitney: So it’s about volume. If the starter goes five innings, you’re looking at four or five relievers. That’s a lot of pitches. Are you worried about fatigue heading into October?
Terry: I am. But you also have to consider that these are often younger arms or veterans looking to secure a roster spot. DL Hall has been solid when healthy. Antonio Senzatela brings experience. But the lack of a true setup man because of the injuries is concerning. You don’t want to burn out your best guys in September if you can help it.
Whitney: Fair point. It’s a balancing act. Win the series, but don’t break the team. Let’s move to Segment Two: Key Hitters and Bullpen Questions, plus the Injury Report. Terry, we know the offense is clicking. Garrett Mitchell had that four-hit game. Jackson Chourio is on a tear. But who else needs to step up?
Terry: Well, Whitney, you can’t ignore William Contreras. He’s been consistent. And Christian Yelich, despite the ups and downs, still provides power. But honestly, the middle of the order is where it’s happening. Cooper Pratt at shortstop has been steady defensively, which helps the pitchers.
Whitney: Cooper Pratt. Right. He’s been a bright spot in an otherwise chaotic infield situation. What about Matt McLain? He’s listed as day-to-day. Does his status change anything for you?
Terry: If he plays, he adds depth. But given the current injuries, even if he’s day-to-day, he might not be ready to go. Spencer Steer is out 10 days. Michael Toglia is out 60 days. Blake Dunn is out 60 days. Hunter Greene is out 60 days. This is a lineup missing a lot of pieces.
Whitney: That is a lot of names. Toglia, Steer, Dunn, Greene—all gone for the stretch run. How do you manage the platoon splits when you’re missing so many left-handed bats? Do you lean harder on Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers?
Terry: Absolutely. Vaughn and Bauers become critical. They need to produce against right-handed pitching. And Sal Frelick and Luis Lara in the outfield need to hit. If you’re missing Toglia and Steer, you’re losing a lot of power. So it’s about contact, speed, and small ball. Brice Turang at second base needs to get on base and use his legs.
Whitney: Speed. Yes. Turang is fast. Frelick is fast. Mitchell is fast. If the defense holds up, maybe we can manufacture runs. But let’s talk about the catcher situation. Bo Naylor, Gary Sanchez, William Contreras. Who is catching the games if Gasser or Drohan starts?
Terry: Contreras is the primary catcher. He’s elite defensively. But if they need to rest him, Naylor is the backup. Sanchez is there for depth. The key is that whoever is behind the plate needs to frame pitches well. With a shaky starting pitcher, every strike call counts. You can’t afford to give away free balls.
Whitney: Framing. That’s a huge part of the game that doesn’t always show up in the box score. But it wins close games. And these games are going to be close. We’re playing in Pittsburgh. It’s a tough place to play. Let’s move to Segment Three: Keys to the Series and a Bold Prediction.
Terry: Okay, so here’s my take. The Brewers need to score early. If you go into the fifth inning tied or down by one, the bullpen is going to get hammered. You need to put up five or six runs in the first three innings. That takes pressure off Gasser or Drohan.
Whitney: Early offense. I agree. Remember, last night they lost 4-3. Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run homer. Tyler Stephenson had a sac fly. The Reds managed to win because they scored late. We can’t let that happen again. If we go up by three early, we can survive mistakes later.
Terry: Exactly. And the second key is defensive efficiency. No errors. When you’re using a patchwork rotation, you cannot afford to give away runs on the field. Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, Cooper Pratt—they need to be flawless. One error can swing a tight game.
Whitney: No errors. Got it. Now, Terry, you’ve seen the headlines. Mitchell and Chourio are hot. The rotation is depleted. The bullpen is stretched. What’s your bold prediction for this series against the Pirates?
Terry: Here it is. I think the Brewers split the series. Maybe they win one handily, scoring eight or nine runs, thanks to Mitchell and Chourio carrying the load. But I think they lose one ugly, where the bullpen burns out in extra innings. So, two wins, one loss. A split.
Whitney: A split. Interesting. I was leaning toward a sweep, honestly. After that 13-9 victory on Saturday, it feels like the offense is unstoppable. But you’re right about the bullpen fatigue. If they have to use five guys in a game twice, it’s going to hurt.
Terry: And remember, we predicted a sweep last time. And then we saw that 4-3 loss. The Reds aren’t done. They’re fighting for survival too. So a split feels realistic. It keeps us first in the division, but it’s not a dominant performance.
Whitney: That’s a fair assessment. Split the series, stay first, keep the momentum going. Before we go, I want to say thank you. This episode broke down the injuries, the pitching matchups, and the keys to winning in Pittsburgh. If you found that analysis helpful, please chip in to help keep the show free and daily. Just visit the link in the episode description. Your support fuels more content like this.
Terry: We appreciate it. Really. It allows us to keep digging into the stats, the rosters, and the strategy every single day. So if you can, head over to that link and consider supporting the network.
Whitney: Thanks for listening. Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Share this episode with a fellow Brewer fan. Let’s get this word out. Go Birds!