Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Washington Nationals

The Milwaukee Brewers return residence this weekend, as they’re going to tackle the Washington Nationals for 3 video games starting Friday night. After unveiling their new City Connect uniforms On Thursday, the Crew will put on the jerseys in all three video games of this sequence.

The Brewers are coming off a 3-3 highway journey that included a sequence win over the Royals earlier than a sequence loss to the Red Sox. They sit at 8-4, tied atop the NL Central with the Reds, though Cincinnati is actively enjoying towards the Marlins in Miami as of this writing. On the opposite aspect, the Nationals are on the backside of the NL East at 4-8. After getting off to a 3-1 begin, together with a sequence win over the Cubs, Washington has misplaced seven of their final eight, together with sequence losses to the Phillies, Dodgers, and Cardinals.

The Brewers are nonetheless with out a few key gamers, as Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio are each out for a number of weeks with hand accidents. On the pitching entrance, Jared Koenig (May), Quinn Priester (May), Rob Zastryzny (late April or early May), and Craig Yoho (mid-April) are additionally on the IL. The newest harm is Brice Turang, who sat out the final two video games in Boston with left ankle tendonitis. He is not anticipated to want an IL stint, which means he needs to be again on the sphere for this sequence.

Washington’s injured checklist is completely pitchers, together with Josiah Gray, DJ Herz, Trevor Williams, Jarlin Susana, and Travis Sykora. All 5 of these accidents are within the “severe” class, with the primary three on the 60-day IL and the final two nonetheless within the minors as two of the Nats’ high 4 prospects. All of them excluding Sykora are anticipated to return to play sooner or later in 2026 (Sykora is out for the season, with a 2027 return).

The Brewers’ offense went stagnant with out Turang within the closing two video games in Boston, however they’re nonetheless top-of-the-line offensive groups in baseball total. Turang, Christian Yelich, and Garrett Mitchell have led the crew to date. Turang is hitting .270/.413/.514 with a homer, 4 doubles, a triple, seven RBIs, 10 runs scored, and 4 steals; Yelich is hitting .372/.413/.535 with a homer, two doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and three steals; and Mitchell is hitting .310/.429/.517 with a homer, three doubles, 13 RBIs, 4 runs scored, and three steals. William Contreras, Jake Bauers, Gary Sánchez, Luis Rengifo, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge, and Joey Ortiz spherical out the opposite regulars, with Blake Perkins and Luis Matos usually coming off the bench. As a crew, Milwaukee is hitting .253/.356/.395 (.751 OPS ranks fourth), with 10 homers (tied for 18th), 70 runs scored (fourth), and 23 steals (first).

Despite their tough begin to the season, the Nationals’ offense shouldn’t be the difficulty. CJ Abrams and James Wood sit atop the crew’s homer leaderboard with 4 every, with Abrams including 4 steals. Former Brewer Joey Wiemer obtained off to a red-hot begin however has cooled off fairly a bit — even so, he is hitting .440/.533/.760 with a pair of homers by means of eight video games performed. Brady House, Luis García, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, Drew Millas, Nasim Nuñez, and Jorbit Vivas spherical out the regulars, with Keibert Ruiz, Curtis Mead, and José Tena serving as depth. As a crew, Washington is hitting .266/.339/.431 (.770 OPS ranks third), with 16 homers (tied for third), 71 runs scored (third), and 14 steals (tied for third).

The Brewer bullpen is led in appearances (seven) by Grant Anderson and Aaron Ashby. Anderson has allowed two runs and struck out eight throughout eight frames, whereas Ashby has allowed three runs and struck out 14 over 9 2/3 innings. DL Hall hasn’t allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings of labor, putting out 10. Trevor Megill is 3-for-3 in save alternatives, whereas Ángel Zerpa has allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings, selecting up his first profession save towards the Red Sox on Monday. Abner Uribe remains to be top-of-the-line relievers within the league, and Jake Woodford rounds out the bullpen, with another addition anticipated on Friday to switch Shane Drohan, who was known as up within the wake of Koenig’s harm to make his first MLB begin on Wednesday. As a employees, the Brewers have a 3.77 crew ERA (thirteenth), together with a 4.80 starter ERA (twenty fifth) and a 2.66 reliever ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 124 batters (tied for fourth) over 105 innings.

Just about no one in Washington’s bullpen has gotten off to a very good begin — the one participant of the eight presently on the roster with an ERA beneath 3.00 is Paxton Schultz, who’s made only one look spanning one scoreless body. The crew is simply 1-for-5 in save alternatives, with Clayton Beeter claiming that one save (he has a 3.18 ERA with two runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings). Cole Henry has an 0-2 report, with 5 runs allowed (three earned) over seven innings, whereas PJ Poulin (5.40 ERA), Cionel Pérez (13.50 ERA), Brad Lord (4.35 ERA), former Brewer Gus Varland (6.75 ERA), and Ken Waldichuk (7.04 ERA) have all struggled. As a employees, the Nationals have a 6.06 crew ERA (thirtieth), together with a 5.75 starter ERA (thirtieth) and a 6.34 reliever ERA (twenty seventh). They’ve struck out 92 batters (tied for twenty fourth) over 107 innings.

Friday, April 10 @ 6:40 pm: RHP Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.96 ERA, 4.33 FIP) vs. RHP Jake Irvin (1-1, 8.00 ERA, 4.60 FIP)

Patrick was initially slated to start out for the third time this season on Wednesday in Boston, however because of the doubleheader on Saturday, his flip by means of the rotation was pushed again to this weekend towards the Nationals. While he is allowed to take away a little bit of visitors by means of two begins, he is achieved a very good job preserving opponents off the scoreboard. Through 9 1/3 innings, he is allowed only one run on 9 hits and 4 walks with seven strikeouts. This will mark his first profession begin towards Washington.

Irvin, 29, is in his fourth MLB season, all with the Nationals. He hasn’t had a lot success up to now, with a 4.99 ERA and a 5.07 FIP over practically 500 profession innings. In two begins this season, he is had diversified outcomes. He began the 12 months with 5 innings of two-run ball towards the Cubs, selecting up the win as he allowed three hits and a stroll whereas putting out seven. In his final begin towards the Dodgers, he struggled throughout 4 innings, permitting six runs on eight hits and two walks with 4 strikeouts. Irvin has made six profession begins towards Milwaukee, with an 0-5 report, a 6.59 ERA, and 22 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings. That features a pair of begins final season, when he went 0-2 and allowed eight runs (5 earned) over 9 innings with seven strikeouts.

Saturday, April 11 @ 6:10 pm: LHP Kyle Harrison (1-0, 2.61 ERA, 4.12 FIP) vs. LHP Foster Griffin (1-0, 2.70 ERA, 4.75 FIP)

Brandon Sproat was initially scheduled on this spot, however he is been bumped again for not less than a few days, and Kyle Harrison will make this begin as a substitute. Harrison has had a profitable begin to his Milwaukee tenure, with a 2.61 ERA throughout 10 1/3 innings in begins towards the Rays and Royals. He’s struck out 14 in these outings, as he is efficiently deployed a brand new kick-change. Harrison has made three earlier begins towards the Nationals, all whereas with the Giants. In these outings, he has a 0-1 report with a 4.30 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 14 2/3 innings.

Griffin, 30, is a former first-round choose who spent components of two seasons with the Royals and Blue Jays again in 2020 and 2022, spanning eight innings by which he allowed 9 runs (eight earned) and struck out 5. He spent the final three seasons in Japan, the place he made 54 appearances spanning 315 2/3 innings with a 2.57 ERA and 318 strikeouts. In two begins (towards the Phillies and Dodgers) this season, he is totaled 10 innings, permitting three runs on 10 hits and three walks whereas putting out 11. This marks his first profession look towards Milwaukee.

Sunday, April 12 @ 1:10 pm: RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 5.91 ERA, 4.59 FIP) vs. RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 3.60 ERA, 5.85 FIP)

With the slight change in plans concerning Sproat, Brandon Woodruff additionally strikes up a day and stays on common five-day relaxation. Woodruff obtained beat up a bit his final day trip on Monday towards the Red Sox and allowed 5 runs by means of the primary 4 innings, however he stored his pitch rely beneath management and lasted 5 2/3 innings, which was nice for a bullpen that had simply performed a doubleheader in Kansas City. The Brewers managed to come back again and win that sport, nevertheless it did spotlight the truth that if Woodruff is not pitching with wonderful management (which he is absolutely able to), he will be fairly hittable at this stage in his profession.

Littell, 30, is in his ninth MLB season and now together with his sixth crew. He spent 2025 between the Rays and Reds, with a 3.81 ERA, 4.88 FIP, and 130 strikeouts throughout 186 2/3 innings. He’s made two appearances (one begin) towards the Phillies and Cardinals this season, spanning 10 frames with 4 earned runs on 10 hits and 5 walks, putting out seven. A well-known opponent for Milwaukee, Littell has made 12 appearances (three begins) towards the Crew, with an 0-1 report, 1.75 ERA, and 18 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings. He made three begins towards the Brewers final season (two with the Reds, one with the Rays), permitting 4 runs and putting out 11 over 16 2/3 innings.

Friday, April 10: Brewers TV; pay attention by way of radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, April 11: Brewers TV; pay attention by way of radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, April 12: Brewers TV; pay attention by way of radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

The Brewers appear to have the benefit in nearly each side on this sequence, together with the truth that the Nationals are ice-cold proper now. I’ll take Milwaukee to choose up the sweep.