Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Thursday 8/21, 1:20 CT

Thursday notes:

• THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED: The Cubs have not won four consecutive games since winning two each at New York vs. the Yankees and at home vs. the Reds, before and after the break for the All-Star Game, July 12-19. They had won four in a row twice before then, May 25-28 and July 1-4. They had a five-game streak March 31-April 5 The last time the Cubs won four straight against the Brewers was in 2022, July 5-6 at Milwaukee and Aug. 19-20 at Wrigley Field. The last time they won four in a row against the Brewers at Wrigley was in 2019, Aug. 2-4 and 30. And the last time they won four in a row against the Brewers at home in the same series was in 2018, April 26-29, by scores of 1-0, 3-2, 3-0 and 2-0. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• THE SHAW FILES: Matt Shaw, 30 games since the All-Star break: .302/.344/.721 (26-for-86) with five doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 18 RBI, four stolen bases and 17 runs scored.
• STEALING BASES: The Cubs remain third in MLB with 133 stolen bases, just behind the Brewers at 137. That is a pace for 167 steals. If they get there, it would be their most since 1985, when they had 182.
• THIS DAY IN CUBS HISTORY: For the only time in MLB history (still to this day!) two brothers combine on a shutout. Rick (6.1 innings) and Paul Reuschel (2.2 innings) allowed the Dodgers six hits in a 7-0 Cubs win. It happened 50 years ago today, Thursday, Aug. 21, 1975.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Quinn Priester, RHP

Shōta Imanaga has made two starts against the Brewers this year. The last one, July 30 in Milwaukee, wasn’t all that good — three runs in five innings — but the Cubs won that game.

Since Imanaga got hit hard by the White Sox at the end of July, he has made three starts and posted a 2.25 ERA, with 22 strikeouts and only two walks in 20 innings. In those three starts, he allowed just two runs in 13.1 innings at Wrigley Field. So perhaps it’s the home cooking. He’s also been somewhat better in day games (seven starts, 2.79 ERA) than night games (11 starts, 3.25 ERA).

Go get ‘em, Shōta.

Quinn Priester is one of the best examples of the Brewers taking someone else’s issue and turning it into a gem. Priester, the Pirates’ No. 1 pick in 2019 and posted a 6.46 ERA in 20 games for them in 2023 and 2024. They traded him to the Red Sox at last year’s deadline and he made one start for them — a pretty good one — but Boston shipped him to the Brewers for a couple of minor leaguers in April.

The Brewers turned Priester, a Chicago-area native (Cary-Grove High School), into a pitching stud. How did they do this? Maybe they stole the Cardinals’ pixie dust.

Priester allowed the Cubs two runs in 5.2 innings July 29 in Milwaukee. Nico Hoerner homered off him.

That’s about all I’ve got. Hit him hard, Cubs.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Brewers market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Blue Jays fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2025 Game Thread procedure will be identical to last year’s.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.