Chicago Cubs

Brewers playoff primer: Chasing a division title

Published Sep. 27, 2018 12:32 p.m. ET

Here's what we know: The Milwaukee Brewers are in the 2018 MLB playoffs.

Here's what we don't know: Who the Brewers will be matched up against and if they'll be a wild-card team or division winner.

So, yeah, there's some stuff to be decided in this last weekend of the season.

Milwaukee enters play Thursday one-half game behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. The Cubs have one game in hand. After Thursday night's game between the Cubs and Pittsburgh, the Brewers will either be tied for first or one game back with three games remaining.

Besides knowing the division standings after Thursday, the Brewers will also know in advance how things look Friday and Saturday as the Cubs have afternoon games both of those days while Milwaukee plays at night. All teams play at 2:10 p.m. CT on Sunday.

The Brewers close out the season with the Detroit Tigers; the Cubs face the St. Louis Cardinals, who are still battling for the final playoff spot.

Best case scenario is Milwaukee clinches the division, which could happen as early as Saturday, if Chicago loses three straight and the Brewers win Friday and Saturday.

Worst case scenario is the Brewers and Cubs have the same record, which means they'd have to play a game Monday to see who wins the division (and Chicago would host based on head-to-head record this season), lose that game and then have to play the one-game wild card Tuesday.

Here's how things look for the two teams as the season winds down:

Upcoming Brewers games (all televised by FOX Sports Wisconsin unless otherwise noted)

Friday, Sept. 28 vs. Tigers, 7:15 p.m. -- Zach Davies (2-7, 4.65) vs. Jordan Zimmermann (7-8, 4.31)

Since returning to the rotation in September, Davies has a 3.32 ERA in four starts, pitching five, five, five and four innings in those games. Zimmerman has a 4.79 ERA in four September starts, but with a 1.161 WHIP. While he rarely walks batters, home runs have been a problem. Zimmerman has allowed 18 homers in 12 second-half starts and is actually allowing more longballs per nine innings (1.8) than walks (1.7).

Saturday, Sept. 29 vs. Tigers, 6:10 p.m. (FS1) -- Wade Miley (5-2, 2.32) vs. Daniel Norris (0-5, 5.22)

Miley is coming off one of his worst starts of the season (four runs, three earned, in four innings), but in his four previous starts he allowed four runs over 23 1/3 innings. Norris has pitched well in his last two starts, allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings (his longest stint of 2018) against Minnesota on Sept. 18 and one run in five innings vs. Kansas City on Sept. 23. In his limited appearances this season, Norris has struck out 9.8 batters per nine innings, but also 1.6 HR/9. A left-hander, Norris is holding right-handers to a split of .240/.329/.455 while left-handers are batting .306/.342/.417.

Sunday, Sept. 30 vs. Tigers, 2:10 p.m. -- TBD vs. Spencer Turnbull (0-1, 5.73)

This will be Turnbull's fourth appearance and third start. The rookie tossed a scoreless inning of relief in his debut against Cleveland on Sept. 14. His two previous starts have both come against Minnesota -- allowing six runs in four innings on Sept. 19 and one run over six innings on Sept. 25. In 19 Double-A starts Turnbull had a 4.47 ERA, 1.338 WHIP and 9.6 K/9. He also made two starts at Triple-A, allowing three runs on eight hits in 13 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.

Who pitches for the Brewers in this game is obviously up in the air depending on the game's importance. Jhoulys Chacin has been tabbed to start the wild-card game, so presumably he would not be used. Also of interest is what Milwaukee would do in a one-game tiebreaker with the Cubs on Monday. It would be Gio Gonzalez's turn in the rotation. Chase Anderson hasn't pitched since Sept. 18.

Upcoming Cubs games

Thursday, Sept. 27 vs. Pirates, 7:05 p.m. -- John Lester (17-9, 3.43) vs. Trevor Williams (14-9, 3.04)

Chicago and Pittsburgh haves split their first 18 games, but the Pirates are 5-4 at Wrigley Field including winning two of three in their current series. After a rough July and August, Lester has a 1.90 ERA in four September starts. He has a 3.72 ERA in five starts against the Pirates. Williams has a 1.08 ERA in 11 starts since the All-Star break and is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and 0.887 WHIP in September. He's allowed two runs in 13 innings vs. Chicago.

Friday, Sept. 28 vs. Cardinals, 1:20 p.m. -- Kyle Hendricks (13-11, 3.49) vs. Adam Wainwright (2-3, 4.08)

The Cubs are 7-9 vs. St. Louis this season but 3-3 at home. Hendricks has pitched well over the second half and has a 1.67 ERA and 0.866 WHIP in five starts in September. He has a 4.08 ERA in three starts against St. Louis. In day games, Hendricks has a 3.26 ERA and 1.025 WHIP. Out since mid-May, Wainwright returned from injury in September and has had mixed results. He allowed four runs in five innings against Pittsburgh on Sept. 10, threw 6 2/3 shutout innings vs. the Dodgers on Sept. 16 and gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings against San Francisco on Sept. 22. All those starts were at home.

Saturday, Sept. 29 vs. Cardinals, 12:05 p.m. -- Cole Hamels (4-2, 2.47) vs. Miles Mikolas (17-4, 2.94)

Hamels got off to a great start after being traded to Chicago, going 4-0 with a 0.65 ERA in six August starts. But he's 0-2 with a 4.75 ERA in five September starts. He has yet to face St. Louis. In eight day starts, albeit not all with Chicago, he is 0-6 with a 7.02 ERA. Mikolas, one of the best free-agent signings this offseason, hasn't slowed down. He has a 2.81 ERA, 0.974 WHIP and 11.5 K/9 in four September starts. In three starts against the Cubs, he has allowed four runs in 18 innings. Mikolas has a 2.84 ERA in 12 day-game starts.

Sunday, Sept. 30 vs. Cardinals, 2:20 p.m. Mike Montgomery (5-6, 3.99) vs. John Flaherty (8-8, 3.16)

This could turn out to be a bullpen game for Chicago, depending on its importance. Montgomery has a 5.00 ERA in September and has been horrible at Wrigley Field, with a 4,99 ERA and 1.644 WHIP. He's fared OK against the Cardinals, with a 3.60 ERA and 1.400 WHIP over 15 innings. After a very good August, Flaherty has slumped in September, posting a 4.50 ERA and 1.346 in five starts. He's faced the Cubs twice and had allowed just one run in 10 innings with 16 strikeouts. Flaherty has a 2.89 ERA in nine starts in day games.

p.s. If any Cubs fans complains about Milwaukee getting to end its season with three games against Detroit, keep in mind Chicago played the Tigers four times this season (and went 3-1)

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