The Milwaukee Brewers return to American Family Field with a commanding 1-0 NLDS lead after dismantling the Chicago Cubs 9-3 in Game 1, setting up a crucial Game 2 showdown that could put Chicago on the brink of elimination.
With Shota Imanaga taking the mound for the Cubs against Quinn Priester for Milwaukee, both teams face contrasting pressure as the Brewers look to capitalize on home-field advantage while Chicago desperately needs to even the series.
The betting market reflects Milwaukee's momentum with the Brewers installed as heavy -196 favorites, though the Cubs have shown resilience all season and will need their offense to bounce back against a Brewers pitching staff that ranks third in MLB for runs allowed per game.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs matchup, our predictive model gives the Brewers a 63.5% chance of defeating the Cubs.
Milwaukee Brewers: 63.5% win probability
- Strong home field advantage at American Family Field where they consistently perform well in division matchups
- Solid pitching depth that has kept them competitive in tight NL Central races
- Proven ability to deliver in clutch situations against divisional opponents like Chicago
Chicago Cubs: 36.5% win probability
- Struggles on the road against division rivals, particularly in Milwaukee
- Inconsistent offensive production in key moments of close games
- Pitching staff has shown vulnerability in late-season divisional matchups
At Sporting Post, our custom prediction model blends insights from leading MLB analysts to give you a clear edge.
Instead of sorting through endless opinions, we streamline expert picks, advanced team metrics, and market trends into one place. Our AI tracks top sources and assigns a confidence score to each prediction. These are averaged into a win probability that reflects the expert consensus. It gives you a data-backed view of what the sharpest minds in MLB expect.
Brewers vs. Cubs Odds
These are the best MLB odds we found across major U.S. sportsbooks for this game.
Odds are based on the latest data at publication and are subject to real-time updates.
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Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs preview
The Cubs find themselves in a familiar spot after dropping Game 1 9-3, needing to bounce back on the road in Milwaukee where they've historically struggled against their NL Central rivals.
Shota Imanaga takes the mound for Chicago with solid credentials—a 3.29 ERA and strong 1.009 WHIP—but he'll face a Brewers lineup that's been clicking at 4.98 runs per game, third-best in baseball.
Milwaukee counters with Quinn Priester, whose 4.46 ERA suggests some vulnerability, though the Brewers' pitching staff has been stingy overall with a 3.58 team ERA.
The Cubs' offense showed life during the regular season with 223 home runs, but they managed just three runs in the opener against a Milwaukee staff that's allowed only 168 longballs all year.
Both bullpens have been shaky in save situations—the Cubs at 68.8% and Milwaukee at 68.2%—which could make late-game management crucial in what should be a tight affair.
With the series shifting to a must-win mentality for Chicago, expect the Cubs to be more aggressive early against Priester, who's allowed 9.1 hits per nine innings in his career.
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