The Milwaukee Brewers have scored 43 runs across their last four games, their most potent stretch of the season, and they’ll look to keep that offensive prowess going against a team that has struggled to score for much of the campaign. The Pittsburgh Pirates come into this series at 31-48 and dead last in the majors in runs scored with 257 (3.3 per game).
The Pirates’ pitching, though, is nothing to sneeze at. This evening they’ll get their first look at rookie Braxton Ashcraft, who will be making his first career start after appearing in relief his first seven times out. He has allowed just two runs in 11 2⁄3 major league innings so far, but his numbers at Triple-A Indianapolis are less encouraging: in 10 starts there this year he holds a 5.03 ERA and a WHIP near 1.5. His minor league numbers from 2023-24 were good, though, so there could be something there. Ashcraft throws hard and has averaged nearly 97 mph on his fastball so far this season, though that number may come down a bit in a starting role.
For the Brewers, we will see Chad Patrick, who is looking to bounce back from his toughest two starts of the season. After an excellent start, Patrick has allowed nine earned runs across his last ten innings, which has increased his ERA from 2.84 to 3.50. But his overall numbers are still quite good, and it would be encouraging to see Patrick get back on track, especially after nearly everyone in the bullpen was used in yesterday’s 9-8 thriller in the Minnesota heat.
Jake Bauers is back in the lineup for the Brewers, but not in left field, where he’s appeared more regularly this season—Isaac Collins remains in left, and Bauers will give Rhys Hoskins the night off at first base. Christian Yelich, who is hitting .349/.414/.524 in June, remains in the lineup as the designated hitter. William Contreras remains in the lineup; this will be the 11th straight game that he’s caught, with only one team off day in that stretch.
Our good old friend Andrew McCutchen—one of my all-time favorite players—is batting second for the Pirates tonight, and, at age 38, leads the team in hits, doubles, and OPS. That’s very cool for Cutch and very alarming for the Pirates’ lineup.
Finally, a couple of pitching injury updates we received before the game courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal’s Curt Hogg: Brandon Woodruff threw a 60-pitch sim game today and will likely do one more rehab start before rejoining the major league team. Nestor Cortes also threw a sim game and is looking at a rehab assignment possibly next week. Carlos Rodriguez was diagnosed with a flexor strain and is paying a visit to Dr. Keith Meister, which is an ominous sign.
First pitch tonight is at 6:40 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.
