8-11-2025 – By Drew Cagle – @_dcagle on X
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue a slate of NL Central opponents, traveling to Milwaukee this week for a matchup with the MLB-best Brewers at American Family Field. After taking the first two games from the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh dropped Saturday and Sunday’s home contests.
This trip to Cream City is the second of three straight series against division opponents, with the final one coming at Wrigley Field against the Cubs over the weekend.
Despite the loss of shortstop Willy Adames to the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee hasn’t skipped a beat in 2025. They hold a five-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in all of baseball, and a six-game lead of the aforementioned Cubs in the Central.
The Brewers are playing their best baseball right now, as well. Nine straight wins, including a weekend sweep of the Mets, have confidence sky-high. The Bucs will have their work cut out for them.
8/11
Pirates: LHP Andrew Heaney – 115 IP, 5-9, 80 K/36 BB, 4.77 ERA, 1.27 WHIP
Brewers: LHP Jose Quintana – 93.1 IP, 9-4, 66 K/35 BB, 3.57 ERA, 1.34 WHIP
8/12
Pirates: RHP Paul Skenes – 144 IP, 7-8, 162 K/34 BB, 1.94 ERA, 0.93 WHIP
Brewers: RHP Freddy Peralta – 130.2 IP, 13-5, 141 K/49 BB, 3.03 ERA, 1.14 WHIP
8/13
Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller – 137.2 IP, 5-10, 107 K/37 BB, 3.86 ERA, 1.23 WHIP
Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff – 35.1 IP, 4-0, 45 K/6 BB, 2.29 ERA, 0.65 WHIP
Pirates: After starting the Cincinnati series just 1-for-9, first baseman Spencer Horwitz turned in multi-hit games on both Saturday and Sunday. His average has risen to a respectable .266 for the season, among the highest on the team.
Brewers: All-star catcher William Contreras was swinging a hot bat on Saturday and Sunday against the Mets, to the tune of four hits, three home runs, and five RBIs. Milwaukee needed every run they could get on Sunday, as they walked off New York 7-6.
Pirates: Pittsburgh’s bullpen has struggled at points after dealing away closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees last week. They allowed 10 earned runs over four innings of work in Sunday’s 14-8 loss. Despite the pitching staff only conceding four total runs in the other three games of the series, the Reds notched eight hits per game against the staff.
Brewers: Tuesday starter Freddy Peralta has been excellent this season, but has struggled in his last five outings against the Pirates. The two-time All-Star has allowed 14 earned runs in just 24.2 innings pitched in that span, including taking a loss on August 25 at PNC Park last season.
Pirates: Enmanuel Valdez (60-day, shoulder), RHP Justin Lawrence (60-day, elbow), LHP Tim Mayza (60-day, lat), RHP Chase Shugart (15-day, knee, will be activated Monday)
Brewers: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (15-day, tibia), RHP Logan Henderson (15-day, elbow), OF Jackson Chourio (10-day, hamstring), LHP Robert Gasser (60-day, elbow)
Notes
- The Brewers leads the season series 5-2. Last series, Pittsburgh took the opener in Milwaukee on June 23 behind a 5-for-5 day from Nick Gonzales, but dropped the final two games.
- Milwaukee owns the best home record in baseball at 39-20. Those 39 wins are tied for the most, alongside the Red Sox and Tigers.
- On the other hand, the Pirates have the second-worst road mark in baseball, at 17-39.
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