Brewers vs Cubs MLB Pick: Streaking Chicago Host Division Rival Milwaukee (Mar 11)

• The Chicago Cubs (11-4) host the Milwaukee Brewers (7-9) in Mesa, AZ
• Chicago has high hopes for the 2025 season with its acquisitions of Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly
• Milwaukee is the defending NL Central champ; Chicago hopes to dethrone them
• Former All-Star Justin Steele starts for the Cubs against the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski

The Cubs have come out of the spring training gate hot, winning 11 of their first 15 games. They hope the acquisitions of Tucker and Pressly boost them back to the MLB postseason. the Brewers are 7-9 so far. They did not make any notable upgrades over the winter and lost star shortstop Willy Adames. Still, they tend to play better than the on-paper sum of their parts.

Brewers Send Touted Arm to the Mound

To make up for its limited spending power, the Brewers need to develop their draftees. A key is for their young pitchers to perform. Against the Cubs, they send righty Jacob Misiorowski to the mound. He was a second-round draft pick in 2022 and had a solid 2024 as a starter and reliever splitting time between Double and Triple-A. He struck out 127 in 97.1 innings and surrendered only 57 hits.

Milwaukee needs to replace Adames and based on spring stats, Joey Ortiz has the pole position. The former Orioles draft pick is batting .348 this spring with a home run. Bryce Turang is also up for the job, but he is struggling at .160. The Brewers, however, are good at using their entire roster, so both will get their share of at-bats.

Rhys Hoskins is batting .375 with 4 homers. Christian Yelich, returning from injury, is hitting .273 with 2 homers.

Cubs’ Offseason and Spring Bring Them High Hopes

Chicago sends 2023 All-Star Justin Steele to the mound. The lefty missed time in 2024 with left flexor tendinitis in his elbow. When he’s healthy, he’s an excellent pitcher as evidenced by his 16-5, 3.7 bWAR season in 2023. He has pitched 5 innings this spring and surrendered 2 runs, walking none and striking out 7.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is already a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder and his bat has been scorching this spring. He is batting .520 in 25 at-bats with 3 home runs.

First baseman Michael Busch is hitting .464 with a home run. Seiya Suzuki (.214) and Kyle Tucker (.048) are slumping.

Brewers vs Cubs Pick: The Cubs Keep The Ball Rolling

Milwaukee is spending its spring training configuring its roster and roles. The Cubs are trying to get their established players ready for what they hope is a return to the playoffs. With Steele on the mound and so many hitters bashing, they should take this one.]