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Brewers’ Red-Hot Offense Welcomes Pirates and Rookie Starter Ashcraft
The Milwaukee Brewers are playing with an incredible level of offensive firepower, and they’ll look to keep that momentum rolling as they return home on Monday night. The Milwaukee Brewers will open a three-game series against their National League Central rival, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in a game that features a fascinating duel of rookie starting pitchers. For the Brewers, it’s about continuing their surge. For the Pirates, it’s about proving their own recent offensive outburst was not a fluke.
The Milwaukee Hit Machine
The Brewers are coming home fresh off a dominant road trip, capped by a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins. Their offense has been nothing short of spectacular. Milwaukee has won four straight games, and they have scored at least eight runs in every single one of those victories. During the sweep in Minnesota, they outscored the Twins by a staggering margin of 35-14. It’s a relentless, high-pressure attack that has established them as one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball right now. They are a season-high seven games over .500 and have gone 17-7 since late May, proving they are a serious contender among all MLB teams.
The Rebirth of Christian Yelich
The catalyst for Milwaukee’s offensive explosion has been the resurgence of their superstar, Christian Yelich. The former NL MVP has put a slow start to the season firmly in the rearview mirror. After hitting just .184 as of May 21, Yelich has been on an absolute tear. In the month of June, he is hitting a blistering .349 with two home runs, five doubles, and 15 RBIs, raising his overall season average to a respectable .259. His return to elite form has a cascading effect, making the entire lineup deeper and more dangerous. When a team’s best player gets hot, it elevates the confidence of the entire clubhouse, a factor often explored in our expert betting guide. His success has been a key driver in the Brewers’ recent dominance.
A Glimmer of Hope for the Pirates’ Offense?
While the Brewers’ offense has been consistently excellent, the Pirates are searching for that same consistency. For most of the past two weeks, they have struggled mightily, dropping six of their last eight games. In those six losses, they scored a total of just 12 runs. Manager Don Kelly has been clear about his team’s biggest issue: “We need to find a way to score some runs,” he said after a 3-2 loss on Saturday. “We’ve got find a way to come through with guys on base.”
On Sunday, however, they finally broke through. In an 8-3 win over the Rangers, the Pirates pounded out 15 hits and, most importantly, went 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position. It was a massive offensive release for a team that desperately needed it. The question now is whether that performance was an anomaly or a sign that they are finally starting to turn a corner.
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A Duel of Rookie Right-Handers
Monday night’s pitching matchup is a tale of two rookies in very different situations. The Pirates will give the ball to Braxton Ashcraft (1-0, 1.54 ERA) for his first career major league start. The 25-year-old has been excellent out of the bullpen in seven appearances, allowing just two runs in 11 2/3 innings. Now, he gets a “trial-by-fire” opportunity, making his first start against one of the hottest lineups in baseball.
The Brewers will counter with their own rookie, Chad Patrick (3-7, 3.50). After a solid May, Patrick has struggled in June, losing all three of his starts with a 5.63 ERA. He is looking to bounce back from a rough outing against the Cubs his last time out. “You got to look at the positives,” a determined Patrick said. “Can’t always be negative on yourself. Just take and learn from what I did today and just be better.” This matchup of two rookies on different immediate trajectories will be a key focus on the scores and odds board.
The Divisional Stakes
Every game within the division carries extra weight. The Brewers are looking to keep pace with the first-place Cubs, while the Pirates are trying to prove they can compete against their Central rivals. To see who our experts think will win this intriguing rookie duel, check out our daily MLB picks.
