Cardinals vs Brewers predictions
Looking at the St. Louis Cardinals roster, you can almost feel the steady hands at work—especially with Brendan Donovan, who’s been a hitting machine lately. I expect Donovan to keep racking up hits, flirting with his solid .300s average, and smartly taking his walks, too. Willson Contreras has been the power source, so don’t be surprised if he connects for extra bases and drives in pivotal runs—his knack for clutch RBIs is hard to ignore. Then there’s Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson, both of whom are likely to keep things active on the base paths with a mix of timely singles and the occasional double. The Cards may not be known for swiping bags, but Victor Scott and Masyn Winn each have enough wheels to try and grab a base if the opportunity’s there.
Shifting attention over to the Milwaukee Brewers, there’s plenty to like about their lineup heading into this one at home. Sal Frelick has really shown his value at the plate, and I think he’ll build on that with a couple of base knocks and his usual spark on offense. Christian Yelich, the heart of Milwaukee’s order, could easily send one deep—he’s one of those hitters you just never bet against—plus, he’s been racking up RBIs at a steady clip. William Contreras is another name you can pencil in for consistent production; look for him to drive the ball and make things happen, while Brice Turang’s speed means the Brewers could add to their already impressive stolen base tally. And with Quinn Priester drawing the start, I see him keeping the ball in play, working through the lineup for five-plus innings, and getting just enough strikeouts to keep the Cards honest.
With the series knotted up and so much on the line in this NL Central clash, it feels like the Brewers’ edge at American Family Field might just tip the scales. The combination of timely hitting, strong home performance, and that aggressive baserunning gives Milwaukee the slight advantage in what’s shaping up to be a tightly-contested game. St. Louis will scrap, no doubt, but if the Brewers’ top bats show up and Priester holds steady on the mound, I’d take Milwaukee to pull out a close one. What do you think—is this the series lead the Brewers have been waiting for?