Series Preview 4/22-24: Brewers vs. Cardinals

On Monday evening, the Brewers and Cardinals will meet to open up a three-game series at Busch Stadium. The two teams have already played seven games in Milwaukee this season, and their series this week (believe it or not) is their final meeting until late August.

The Brewers enter play with a 13-10 record, and the Cardinals are 12-9. Both teams sit one game behind the 12-7 Pirates in the National League Central division.

The Cardinals placed right-hander Michael Wacha on the 10-day injured list on Monday (retroactive to 4/19) with a left knee tendinitis. In the corresponding roster move, Drew Robinson was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Wacha was in line to start against the Brewers on Tuesday; the team has not announced who will start in his place.

The first game of the series on Monday will feature Jack Flaherty for the Cardinals, with his first pitch set for 6:45 PM Central time. This will be Flaherty’s fifth start of the season and third against these Brewers. In the two outings in Milwaukee, Flaherty has worked a combined seven innings with nine runs allowed on 16 hits.

Milwaukee will counter with Adrian Houser, who will start in place of Corbin Burnes. Burnes was sent to the Minors last week, after allowing 11 home runs in 17 ²⁄₃ innings this season. Houser is rated as the Brewers’ 15th prospect, and this will be his first start in the Majors. Houser appeared in two games in 2015 and seven in 2018 as a reliever and has a 1.10 ERA in three starts at Triple-A this year.

Zach Davies will pitch for the Brewers on Tuesday. Davies has been one of the best starters in the league thus far, with a 1.19 ERA across four starts. This will be Davies’ ninth appearance against the Cardinals in his career. Matt Carpenter is 9-for-21 with two homers facing Davies, and Jedd Gyorko is 11-for-17 with four doubles against the 26-year-old.

The finale of the three-game series is set for Wednesday at 12:15, and Adam Wainwright will start for the Cardinals. Wainwright worked just three innings in his last start (4/19 against the Mets) after back-to-back quality starts for the first time since late June in 2017. In his career against the Brewers, Wainwright has a 2.36 ERA with a 202:42 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 225 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Jhouyls Chacin will go for Milwaukee. Chacin was the Brewers’ Opening Day starter, you may recall, and worked into the sixth inning against the Cardinals. He fanned seven batters and gave up home runs to Harrison Bader and Kolten Wong. For Chacin, this will be his sixth start at Busch Stadium. In the first five, he has not surrendered a home run. In 24 ¹⁄₃ frames, Chacin has a 1.85 HR/9; his career high was 1.35 back in 2015.

So, to recap:

Monday, 4/22, 6:45 | Flaherty v Houser | FSMW, KMOX, CRN, WJIR

Tuesday, 4/23, 6:45 | TBD v Davies | FSMW, KMOX. CRN, WJIR

Wednesday, 4/24, 12:15 | Wainwright v Chacin | MLB Network, FSMW, KMOX, CRN, WJIR

Notes from around the league:

• Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was named the National League Player of the Week after hitting eight (yeah, EIGHT) home runs. Joey Gallo of the Rangers took home with the American League honor, with his four homers and 1.654 OPS.
• Left-hander Gio Gonzalez was granted his release from the Yankees on Monday and is now a free agent. Hmm....