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Reds vs Brewers: Preview, pitching matchups and prediction

By Scott Boyken

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 27: Nick Castellanos #2 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during game one of a doubleheader at Miller Park on August 27, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Several sporting leagues across the nation are resuming their schedules after player walkouts done in protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha, Wisconsin police. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 27: Nick Castellanos #2 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during game one of a doubleheader at Miller Park on August 27, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Several sporting leagues across the nation are resuming their schedules after player walkouts done in protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha, Wisconsin police. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates the team win against the Kansas City Royals.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 20: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates the team win against the Kansas City Royals. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

Brewers face a tough task during the final week

If the Milwaukee Brewers are still playing baseball next week, they will have earned it. Currently, the Brewers are on the outside looking in at the playoff race due to a tiebreaker, but face two of the teams they need to overtake in the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals during this final week.

Unfortunately, the Brewers will close out their 2020 regular season campaign away from Miller Park with three games in Cincinnati and a staggering five-game set in St. Louis beginning Thursday.

Beginning play yesterday the Brewers are the second-best hitting team within the NL Central.  Nevertheless, that’s a backhand compliment because as a team Milwaukee is only hitting .227 which is good enough for just 12th in the senior circuit. Surprisingly, for a lineup that features Christian Yelich, Keston Hiura and Ryan Braun, the Brew Crew have not hit for a ton of power this year.

Sporting a 10th best .398 slugging rate among NL squads, the Brewers have only hit a league-average 66 round-trippers. Meanwhile, their 74 doubles are well below the NL average of 81 two-baggers. Unfortunately, the Brewers who are not producing their usual power numbers,  have difficulty just putting the ball in play.

Milwaukee’s 26.3% strikeout rate is the highest in the National League. Look for this rate to only increase over the next three days because the Cincinnati pitching staff owns a 10.9 K/9 rate which is the best in the league. Expect to see plenty of Brewers walking back to their third base side dugout with their lumber still in hand.

You can’t mention the Brewers without talking about their exceptional bullpen. Milwaukee relievers lead the NL with a 12.1 K/9 rate. In addition, their 4.03 pen ERA is third-best among senior circuit relief corps. It will be of monumental importance for the Reds to jump out to early leads and not allow Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell to unleash his arsenal of bullpen weapons against them.

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