Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction for Wednesday September 2 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers visit the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, September 2, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 PM ET with MLB.TV and MLB Network providing coverage. Milwaukee enters at 85-53 overall and 38-28 on the road, while Chicago is 78-60 overall and 40-29 at home. The Brewers lead the NL Central by seven games, but Chicago opened this series with a convincing 17-3 victory on Monday. ESPN Analytics gives Milwaukee a 59.2% chance of winning compared with 40.8% for Chicago. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more baseball predictions throughout the season.
Starting Pitchers
Jacob Misiorowski is scheduled to start for Milwaukee and brings one of the strongest pitching lines on Wednesday's slate. He is 14-5 with a 1.73 ERA and 0.75 WHIP through 151 innings, allowing only 79 hits while recording 222 strikeouts against 35 walks and surrendering 13 home runs. David Peterson is scheduled for Chicago and enters at 7-7 with a 5.11 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through 123.1 innings. He has allowed 135 hits while striking out 109, walking 52 and giving up 13 home runs. The Brewers hold an enormous statistical advantage in the starting-pitching matchup.
Brewers Have the Pitching Edge at Wrigley Field
Milwaukee enters Wednesday with the best record in the NL Central at 85-53 and holds a seven-game advantage over Chicago. The Brewers are 38-28 away from home and have won three of their last five completed games, although they have dropped their last two. Monday's 17-3 loss at Wrigley Field was particularly ugly, coming one day after a 7-4 loss against Texas. Before those defeats, Milwaukee had won three straight while scoring 19 runs and allowing only six.
The Brewers are batting .255 with 686 runs, 1,194 hits and 127 home runs. Milwaukee owns a .338 on-base percentage and .398 slugging percentage. The Brewers don't possess Chicago's home-run production, but they have maintained the slightly better batting average and have consistently put runners on base. Their 686 runs are 56 fewer than Chicago's total, making run production one of the areas in which Milwaukee faces a meaningful statistical disadvantage.
Milwaukee's biggest strength is its pitching. The Brewers own a 3.47 team ERA and 1.18 WHIP while limiting opposing hitters to a .222 batting average. They have recorded 1,323 strikeouts against 437 walks, giving them a substantial advantage over Chicago's pitching staff in both run prevention and strikeout production. Monday's 17-run outburst by the Cubs was a major exception to Milwaukee's season-long performance, and the Brewers have the pitching profile necessary to respond in this matchup.
Cubs Try to Build on Monday's Offensive Explosion
Chicago comes into Wednesday at 78-60 overall and 40-29 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs sit second in the NL Central, seven games behind Milwaukee, and have gone 2-3 across their last five completed games. Their results have been volatile during that stretch, including a pair of 17-run performances along with losses in which they allowed seven and ten runs. Monday's 17-3 victory over Milwaukee gives Chicago some immediate momentum entering the middle of this four-game series.
The Cubs are batting .253 with 742 runs, 1,205 hits and 196 home runs. Chicago also owns a .341 on-base percentage and .434 slugging percentage. The power difference is significant, with the Cubs hitting 69 more home runs than Milwaukee while scoring 56 more runs. Chicago's .434 slugging percentage is also 36 points higher than Milwaukee's .398 mark. If the Cubs are going to overcome Wednesday's pitching disadvantage, their superior season-long power production is the most obvious path.
Chicago has not matched Milwaukee on the pitching side, posting a 4.14 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .244. The Cubs have recorded 1,068 strikeouts against 412 walks. Those aren't disastrous numbers, but they trail Milwaukee's 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and .222 opponent batting average by meaningful margins. Chicago's strong 40-29 home record and dangerous offense make it a legitimate threat, but Wednesday's starting matchup puts considerably more pressure on the Cubs' bats.
Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction
Pick: Milwaukee Brewers Moneyline
The Milwaukee Brewers Moneyline is the preferred side despite Chicago's 17-3 victory in the series opener. Milwaukee owns the better overall record, stronger team pitching numbers and an overwhelming advantage in Wednesday's starting matchup. The Brewers' starter enters with a 1.73 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 222 strikeouts, while Chicago counters with a 5.11 ERA and 1.52 WHIP from its scheduled starter. Chicago's offense is dangerous enough to keep the Cubs competitive, particularly at Wrigley Field, but Milwaukee has the stronger foundation for this matchup. ESPN Analytics also gives the Brewers a significant 59.2%-40.8% advantage. Take Milwaukee on the moneyline.
Pick: Under 8.5
The Under 8.5 is the preferred total if the market settles around that number. Chicago's recent games have featured some enormous offensive performances, including Monday's 17-3 win, but Milwaukee's pitching profile makes another explosion considerably more difficult to project. The Brewers have a 3.47 team ERA, 1.18 WHIP and .222 opponent batting average, and their scheduled starter has allowed only 79 hits across 151 innings. Chicago's pitching creates some concern for the Under, but Milwaukee should have an opportunity to control the game from the mound. At 8.5 or better, the Under gets the call.
Final Picks: Milwaukee Brewers Moneyline and Under 8.5
This preview was completed before play on Tuesday. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.