Cubs vs. Brewers Notes: Ballesteros at DH, Brown's Biggest Challenge Yet, More

The Chicago Cubs are hoping that Ben Brown can stay hot, especially as they try to muster any offense against the flamethrowing Jacob Misiorowski.

May 9, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros (25) bats against the Texas Rangers during the game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With only a half-game standing between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, this game holds a little extra weight. Last night's matchup was downright ugly for the Cubs, who fell right back into their cold offensive ways. They went a brutal 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, which only stood out more as their best starting arm crumbled early.

Evening things up tonight will not be easy when we consider the pitching matchup. But, hey, it also feels like only a matter of time before this Cubs offense looks more like their former self.

Game Info

Who: Milwaukee Brewers (27-18) at Chicago Cubs (29-19)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 6:40 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network,
Listen: 104.3 The Score

Chicago Cubs Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
2. Michael Busch, 1B
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Ian Happ, LF
5. Seiya Suzuki, RF
6. Moisés Ballesteros, DH
7. Dansby Swanson, SS
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
9. Miguel Amaya, C

Moisés Ballesteros is back in the starting lineup for the first time in three games. Craig Counsell will be crossing his fingers that the DH can tap back into his early-season self. After beginning the year scalding hot, Ballesteros has been colder than Mr. Freeze in an ice bath on a glacier in the Arctic.

Ballesteros has a mere three hits in his last 14 games, and two of those came in the same outing. On the one hand, this makes a matchup with one of the hardest throwers in baseball very scary. On the other hand, there theoretically aren't many batters on this team better equipped to put a fastball in play. If Ballesteros can somehow find a way to get going again this afternoon, it could be a game-changer for this Cubs' offense.

Miguel Amaya is also back in the mix for Carson Kelly, thus pushing Dansby Swanson back up into the 8th spot. Amaya caught Ben Brown in his last start against the Braves and has caught a groove in recent weeks. He's recorded a hit in three of his previous four games and has tallied three RBIs. Unlike Ballesteros, he's also done a decent job drawing walks. This could come in handy against Jacob Misiorowski, who's been known to have some command issues in the past.

Nevertheless, if there is anyone to keep a close eye on tonight, it might be Michael Busch. The first baseman has played some really good baseball amid the Cubs' slump, and he currently has a five-game hitting streak going. Busch has also walked three times in the last two games and has struck out just twice dating back to the start of the White Sox series.

Milwaukee Brewers Lineup

1. Jackson Churio, CF
2. Brice Turang, 2B
3. Williams Contreras, C
4. Christian Yelich, DH
5. Garrett Mitchell, CF
6. Jake Bauers, LF
7. Luis Rengifo, 3B
8. Sam Frelick, RF
9. David Hamilton, SS

Milwaukee is excellent with runners in scoring position, and the Cubs saw that firsthand last night. The team went 6-for-9 in these situations and only finished the day with four strikeouts against the Cubs' best strikeout pitcher. Concerning!

On the Mound ...

May 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown (32) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Cubs – Ben Brown, RHP

As well as Ben Brown has pitched in his last two starts, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't very concerned for him tonight. He's been known to let games spiral out of control, and few teams are better at making consistent contact than the Brewers. For what it's worth, both of Brown's first two starts also came on a tight leash, as Craig Counsell didn't let him go any more than 4.0 innings. Will that change tonight?

Regardless, Brown does deserve some praise for his very strong work on the mound this far. He's been great at forcing ground balls and has shown some really good command with both his fastball and knuckle curve. If he can keep a good thing going tonight, the Cubs will feel that much better about his potential to be a key piece for their rotation moving forward.

Brewers – Jacob Misiorowski, RHP

After a rocky Year 1, Jacob Misiorowski (2.12 ERA) looks like the superstar the Brewers expected him to be. His average fastball velo sits at a ridiculous 99.6 percent, which is why he throws it 61.0 percent of the time. His strikeout rate is nearly 40.0 percent, while his whiff rate is essentially the same.

With that said, his previous two starts against the Cubs have been rough. He allowed five earned runs in those two outings last season and walked the same number of batters. Is he better this season? Absolutely, but there is still potential for him to lose some control, and the Cubs have been very good at forcing walks this season. Maybe they can force enough early pitches to get him out of the game early? A boy can dream!

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