Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction, Odds and Props: Milwaukee Looking for Sweep
The Milwaukee Brewers look to sweep the slumping Chicago Cubs in the finale of a National League Central series on Wednesday.
BetMGM Sportsbook lists the Cubs as slight moneyline favorites (-118) with a 6.5-run total in a game that will be aired on ESPN.
Check out our Brewers vs. Cubs prediction, favorite player props, and odds analysis for this matchup.
Brewers vs. Cubs odds
| Moneyline | Total (Over/Under) | Run Line |
| Brewers (+100) | Over 6.5 runs (-110) | Brewers, +1.5 runs (-200) |
| Cubs (-118) | Under 6.5 runs (-110) | Cubs, -1.5 runs (+180) |
Recent results for Cubs and Brewers
The NL Central is the tightest division in the Majors with no team under .500.
The Brewers (28-18) have won two in a row and eight of their last 10 games. They hold the division lead, but are only a half-game ahead of the Cubs (29-20) and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chicago is on a four-game skid, losing eight of its last 10. The Cubs are tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the most home wins (18), and the Brewers are 13-9 on the road.
Brewers take Game 2 and look for a sweep
The Brewers beat the Cubs 5-2 in the second game of the series after winning the opener 9-3. In the last game, Brice Turang had three hits, including a 2-run long ball.
Notably, this is the first series of the season between these division rivals.
Brewers vs. Cubs analysis: by the numbers
Brewers
- Runs – 7th
- Team batting average – 8th
- Team ERA – 3rd
- Bullpen ERA – 6th
Cubs
- Runs – 5th
- Team batting average – 11th
- Team ERA – 16th
- Bullpen ERA – 12th
Pitching Matchup
Kyle Harrison (4-1, 2.09 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) gets the nod for the Brewers. In his last start, he tossed five scoreless innings and gave up five hits in a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres. Milwaukee has won each of Harrison's last five starts, in which he's given up four runs over 24 innings.
Edward Cabrera (3-1, 4.06 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) takes the mound for the Cubs. In his latest outing, he gave up three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 10-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Chicago has five wins in Cabrera's last six starts, but he gave up three runs in four of them and five runs in two. During the five wins, the Cubs averaged 8.6 runs per game.
Solid balance
In winning eight of 10 games, the Brew Crew has shown solid balance. That has been the case on the season as well, with the club ranking third in team ERA and seventh in runs scored.
Turang (.292, 7 home runs, 29 RBIs) leads the team in batting average and RBIs, and ended a slump with a two-run homer in the last game.
Since coming back from missing a month with an injury, former MVP Christian Yelich (.290, 3 home runs, 13 RBIs) has been swinging a hot bat with four hits, including two dingers, and three RBIs over the last three games.
Jekyll and Hyde
After winning 10 in a row, the Cubs have lost eight of their last 10 games. In the eight losses, Chicago has scored more than three runs only once.
Ian Happ (.218, 10 home runs, 20 RBIs) leads the club in long balls, but has only one over the last 11 games, with eight strikeouts in the last four.
Nico Hoerner (.264, 4 home runs, 30 RBIs) leads the team in runs batted in, but has just one in six games and two in the last eleven.
PlayersBest Pick: Brewers moneyline (+100)
We're taking the hotter team in this one, and it's not hard to see why.
The Brewers have won eight of 10, while the Cubs have struggled at the plate amid a losing streak.
Harrison has been great over the last few starts, while Cabrera has not. The Cubs have won five of his last six starts, mainly because they have given Cabrera a lot of run support. That will not happen in this game, as Harrison will have another strong outing, and the Brewers will take the finale and complete the sweep.
Brewers vs. Cubs player prop picks (May 20)
Here are some player prop bets we like at FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Kyle Harrison +5.5 strikeouts (+114) – Harrison had more than 5 Ks in his last two starts, and averages 7.5 strikeouts over his last four.
- Brice Turang or Jake Bauers to hit a home run (+920 each) – OK, so the Brew Crew does not have a lot of pop, and Turang and Bauers are tied for the team lead with seven dingers each. However, either of these is a good value bet, as Cabrera has given up eight long balls over his last five starts.
