The Milwaukee Brewers are set to host the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin a seven-day, seven-game homestand, as they’ll take on the Pirates for four games before welcoming their interleague rival Twins over the weekend. The trade deadline will also have come and gone by the time this series begins, as the deadline is set for 5 p.m. CT on Monday, just 100 minutes before the 6:40 p.m. first pitch of Monday’s series opener.
The Pirates have had Milwaukee’s number in their two series this season, as Pittsburgh has taken five of six, including a three-game sweep leading into the All-Star break. Since the break, though, these two teams have been on completely different trajectories, as the Pirates have gone 6-10 and the Brewers have gone 10-5.
Several players have returned from the IL in the last couple of weeks for Milwaukee, but they’re still waiting on a few more. Pitchers Joel Kuhnel (on rehab) and Kyle Harrison (expected to start Wednesday), as well as outfielder Sal Frelick (close to a potential rehab assignment), are all on the verge of returning. Pitchers Brandon Woodruff, Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season, and Rob Zastryzny is also slated for an August return, though he’s a bit behind Kuhnel and Harrison.
Pittsburgh is without pitchers Evan Sisk (could return this week) and Chris Devenski (could return this week), as well as first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (quad injury, out until late September), Konnor Griffin (finger injury, out until early September), and Oneil Cruz (hand injury, close to a rehab assignment).
The Brewer offense is led by Jake Bauers, who slugged his 20th homer of the season over the weekend. The first baseman is batting .270/.373/.504 this year, slightly better than Brice Turang’s .271/.364/.463 line with 16 homers. Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara have also been solid bats this year, with Gary Sánchez, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .253/.337/.399 (.736 OPS ranks seventh), with 101 homers (last), 555 runs (fifth), and 111 steals (fifth).
Brandon Lowe leads Pittsburgh with 23 homers this year, adding 25 doubles while driving in 71 and scoring 68 runs. Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, and Spencer Horwitz also have double-digit homers, as do the injured O’Hearn and Cruz. Nick Gonzales leads the team with 127 hits, as he’s hitting .312 on the season, and Henry Davis, Jared Triolo, Jake Mangum, and Marcell Ozuna round out the regulars, with Jhostynxon Garcia, Jacob Gonzalez, Endy Rodríguez, and Rafael Flores Jr. providing depth. As a team, the Pirates are hitting .258/.335/.416 (.751 OPS ranks third), with 139 homers (ninth), 578 runs (second), and 100 steals (eighth).
Aaron Ashby leads the Brewers with 51 appearances this season, while Abner Uribe (2.23 ERA, six saves) and Trevor Megill (2.83 ERA, 18 saves) have been the best bullpen arms overall. Chad Patrick (3.50 ERA, four saves) has also been solid, as has DL Hall (2.25 ERA), though he missed a chunk of time due to injury before returning over the weekend. Grant Anderson, Bryse Wilson, and Garrett Stallings round out Milwaukee’s bullpen. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.48 team ERA (second), including a 3.36 starter ERA (first) and a 3.64 bullpen ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 1,081 batters (second) over 991 2/3 innings.
Gregory Soto leads Pittsburgh with 47 appearances and 14 saves this season, though he’s also blown five saves and has a 3.69 ERA. Mason Montgomery has 46 appearances with a 3.80 ERA, and Yohan Ramírez has 46 appearances with a 3.00 ERA. The Pirates also added Camilo Doval in a swap with the Yankees this week, as he struggled to a 4.54 ERA over 44 appearances with them this year. Carmen Mlodzinski (3.15 ERA) has functioned as a swingman with nine starts and 16 relief appearances, and Wilber Dotel (5.11 ERA over 24 2/3 IP), Ron Marinaccio (6.75 ERA over 5 1/3 IP), and Noah Murdock (0.00 ERA over 3 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Pirates have a 4.31 team ERA (20th), including a 4.29 starter ERA (16th) and a 4.34 bullpen ERA (22nd). They’ve struck out 1,047 batters (third) over 1,011 2/3 innings.
Monday, August 3 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (3-6, 5.05 ERA, 5.19 FIP) vs. RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.56 ERA, 4.34 FIP)
Sproat has yet to find consistency in the majors, but he’s flashed his potential at times. His last start was a microcosm of his season, as he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks but settled in nicely to finish with six innings, striking out five in Milwaukee’s 3-0 loss. Sproat’s lone appearance against the Pirates came in that series leading into the All-Star break, when he went three innings and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks, striking out three in a no-decision.
Chandler, 23, sports some solid strikeout stuff, but hasn’t quite been able to find consistent success in the majors to this point. He’s made 21 appearances (20 starts) this season, with a 4.56 ERA, 4.34 FIP, and 93 strikoeuts over 104 2/3 innings, as he’s issued a whopping 57 walks (4.9 BB/9). He got roughed up for five runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk against the D-backs in his last appearance, striking out three over four innings. Chandler has made two starts against Milwaukee, including one in early July, totaling 7 1/3 innings with 11 runs allowed and nine strikeouts.
Tuesday, August 4 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (5-1, 2.66 ERA, 2.80 FIP) vs. RHP Jared Jones (2-2, 3.81 ERA, 3.48 FIP)
Henderson continues to impress, as he’s now 8-1 in his big-league career with a 2.34 ERA and 2.88 FIP over 69 1/3 innings. This season, he’s made nine starts with a 5-1 record, a 2.66 ERA, 2.80 FIP, and 54 strikeouts across 44 innings. He picked up another win his last time out against the Giants, spanning 5 2/3 scoreless innings with two hits and two walks allowed, striking out seven. Henderson made his lone start against the Pirates last May, as he went five frames with one run allowed on five hits and two walks, striking out six in a no-decision.
Jones, who turns 25 on Thursday, missed all of 2025 but has bounced back nicely in 2026, making 11 starts with a 3.81 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and 58 strikeouts over 52 innings this year. He had a great month of July, making five starts and totaling 27 innings with six runs allowed (2.00 ERA) with 33 strikeouts. Jones’ lone appearance against the Brewers came back in his rookie season of 2024, when he went six innings with one run allowed on four hits and two walks, striking out seven to pick up a win.
Wednesday, August 5 @ 6:40 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-9, 3.90 ERA, 2.91 FIP)
Kyle Harrison is expected to make his return on Wednesday, as the left-hander has missed the last few weeks with an arm injury, though it isn’t anything too severe. Prior to his injury, Harrison made 17 starts this year, with an 8-2 record, 3.01 ERA, 3.10 FIP, and 101 strikeouts across 83 2/3 innings. Harrison has made two career starts against Pittsburgh, one with the Giants in 2024 and one with Milwaukee back in April. He’s looked great in both of those outings, totaling 12 scoreless innings with just six hits and one walk allowed, striking out 19.
Skenes, 24, hasn’t been quite as dominant this year as we saw in 2024 and 2025, but he’s still got solid numbers, with a 3.90 ERA, 2.91 FIP, and 156 strikeouts over 124 2/3 innings this season, putting him on pace for 200-plus strikeouts once again. Skenes has been roughed up in both of his last two outings against the Cubs and Reds, totaling 9 1/3 innings with 10 runs allowed on 13 hits and six walks despite striking out 18. Skenes has had varying success in his career against Milwaukee, but he’s won each of his last two decisions (both in 2026). Overall, he’s 3-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 33 1/3 innings.
Thursday, August 6 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.48 ERA, 3.03 FIP) vs. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (11-4, 3.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP)
Drohan has reliably pitched six innings the last month or so, as each of his last five appearances have totaled at least six innings. He has a 3.48 ERA, 3.03 FIP, and 89 strikeouts this season, and across six starts in July, he totaled 36 innings with a 4.00 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Drohan has made two appearances (one start) against Pittsburgh this season, totaling 10 1/3 innings with six runs allowed (four earned) on nine hits, one walk, and a hit batter, striking out eight.
Ashcraft, 26, has put together a solid campaign in his sophomore season, making 22 starts with a 3.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 140 strikeouts over 127 1/3 innings thus far. He’s won each of his last two outings, totaling 11 innings with five runs allowed on nine hits and three walks, striking out 10 against the Cubs and Reds. Ashcraft has made two starts against the Brewers, one in 2025 and one back in July. In those games, he’s totaled eight innings with five runs allowed (5.63 ERA) and eight strikeouts with a no-decision in both appearances.
Monday, August 3: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, August 4: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, August 5: Exclusively on ESPN/ESPN App; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, August 6: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
The Pirates have dominated the season series thus far, but I think the Brewers will look to bounce back from what was ultimately a disappointing West Coast trip this week. Give me the Brewers to win three of four.
