The Brewers and Pirates have a fascinating matchup in store on Wednesday.
Milwaukee is vying to lead the Majors in wins for a second straight year, while the Pirates are looking to snap the NL’s longest playoff drought. Both teams boast a top 10 offense in baseball and will throw two of the best starters against one another.
Wednesday’s matchup will be exclusively televised on ESPN at 7:40 p.m. ET. Here’s what you need to know about each team for this NL Central matchup.
Paul Skenes hardly needs an introduction. The third-year starter already has a Cy Young Award (2025), a Rookie of the Year Award (2024) and three All-Star selections under his belt. He owns a career 2.51 ERA across 78 starts, although he’s experienced his first real struggles this season. After posting a sub-2 ERA in 2024 and ‘25, his ERA sits at 3.90 this season — although the ERA indicators are excellent.
Toeing the rubber for the Brewers is breakout left-hander Kyle Harrison, who will make his first start since July 8 after spending the last month on the injured list with left forearm extensor tendinopathy. Acquired in an offseason trade with the Red Sox, the soon-to-be 25-year-old has a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 17 starts this season.
The Brewers rank last in the Majors with 103 home runs, yet they rank fifth in runs (562), thanks to the third best on-base percentage (.337) and one of the league’s lowest strikeout rates. They’ve also excelled with runners in scoring position and are receiving contributions up and down the lineup, from the likes of Brice Turang, Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell and Jackson Chourio.
The Pirates, meanwhile, have gone from the worst offense in baseball last year (by runs, home runs and OPS) to ranking third in the Majors in runs this season (584). It’s been a remarkable turnaround helped by offseason additions Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn and Jake Mangum, while Esmerlyn Valdez’s breakout has given them an internal boost.
