The Milwaukee Brewers, in possession of the best record in baseball at 77-48, are set to return home and host the Seattle Mariners for three games this week. The Brewers are coming off a 3-4 West Coast road trip, as they bounced back from a sweep at the hands of the Padres to take three of four against the mighty Dodgers. On the other side, the Mariners sit at 59-66 but are just 2.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot in what has been a very week American League overall. Seattle is coming off a series
win over the Astros in Houston, their first series win since the trade deadline.
The Brewers injured list currently features outfielder Sal Frelick (on rehab assignment), shortstop Cooper Pratt (late August return), and second baseman Brice Turang (day to day but hoping to return on Tuesday). Injured pitchers include reliever Abner Uribe (late August), JoJo Romero (close to a rehab assignment), Joel Kuhnel (August), Rob Zastryzny (TBD), Brandon Woodruff (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season).
Seattle is without outfielders Victor Robles and Taylor Ward (both considered day to day), shortstop Colt Emerson (TBD), shortstop/third baseman J.P. Crawford (late August), and outfielder Luke Raley (out for season). Pitchers Logan Evans (out for season), Cooper Criswell (late August or early September), Cole Wilcox (TBD), Carlos Vargas (on rehab assignment), and Matt Brash (late August or early September) are also out.
Milwaukee’s offense is led by Jake Bauers, who is having a career year as he’s hitting .275/.384/.500 with a team-leading 21 homers. Jackson Chourio has 17 homers, and Brice Turang has added 16 homers. William Contreras had hits on both Saturday and Sunday to (hopefully) break out of his months-long slump, and Christian Yelich appears to be the victim of bad luck, as he’s hitting just .226/.307/.364. Joey Ortiz has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the last month and a half, and Andrew Vaughn is still hitting .300 through 80 games. Garrett Mitchell, Luis Lara, Gary Sánchez, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge, and newest addition Jonathan Ornelas round out the squad. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .250/.335/.392 (.727 OPS ranks tied for 11th), with 113 homers (last), 608 runs (fifth), and 122 steals (fifth).
Dominic Canzone is enjoying a breakout season with Seattle, slugging 19 homers to tie for the team lead with Julio Rodríguez, who also has 16 steals. Randy Arozarena has 17 homers and 20 steals, while surprisingly nimble Josh Naylor leads the team with 24 steals. Cole Young has been solid at second base, and Cal Raleigh has had a truly dismal season, hitting just .158/.268/.300 over 91 games. Trade deadline acquisition Taylor Ward has also struggled, with just five hits in 32 at-bats. Former Cardinal Brendan Donovan mans the hot corner, with Leo Rivas at second to round out the regulars. Robles, Weston Wilson, Brock Rodden, and Jhonny Pereda round things out. As a team, the Mariners are hitting .230/.309/.378 (.687 OPS ranks 27th), with 145 homers (16th), 489 runs (last), and 88 steals (13th).
In the absence of Uribe, the Brewer bullpen is led by closer Trevor Megill and set-up arms in Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, and DL Hall. Grant Anderson, Bryse Wilson, and Antonio Senzatela round the group out as Milwaukee continues to roll with a six-man rotation. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.50 team ERA (second), including a 3.51 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.48 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,211 batters (second) over 1,117 1/3 innings.
Eduard Bazardo leads Seattle’s bullpen with 59 appearances, turning in a 3.05 ERA across 56 innings. José A. Ferrer has a 3.71 ERA over 51 innings, Gabe Speier has a 2.78 ERA over 32 1/3 innings, and Andrés Muñoz leads the team with 22 saves, though he’s blown seven opportunities and has a 4.37 ERA over 45 1/3 innings. Seranthony Domínguez is another deadline acquisition, and he’s been roughed up to the tune of a 9.64 ERA over 4 2/3 innings. Michael Rucker (4.91 ERA over 25 2/3 IP), Nick Davila (4.01 ERA over 24 2/3 IP), and Josh Simpson (4.05 ERA over 6 2/3 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Mariners have a 3.85 team ERA (ninth), including a 3.78 starter ERA (eighth) and a 3.97 bullpen ERA (14th). They’ve struck out 1,060 batters (12th) over 1,104 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, August 18 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (9-3, 3.47 ERA, 3.35 FIP) vs. RHP Bryce Miller (4-6, 3.39 ERA, 3.85 FIP)
Harrison has shown flashes of being a star (5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 10 K on August 5 vs. Pirates) but he’s also had a few really rough outings (4 2/3 IP, 8 R, 10 H, 3 BB, 3 K on August 11 @ Padres). Overall, it’s balanced out as he has a 3.47 ERA, 3.35 FIP, and 114 strikeouts across 93 1/3 innings in what has easily been his best season has a pro. Of note: Harrison has been really good at home, with a 6-1 record, 1.38 ERA, and 70 strikeouts in 52 innings over 10 starts. This will mark Harrison’s first career appearance against Seattle.
Miller, 27, is in his fourth season with the Mariners. After a rough 2025 campaign where he had a 5.68 ERA and 5.17 FIP over 90 1/3 innings, he’s bounced back nicely this year, with a 3.39 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and 84 strikeouts over 85 innings. Miller hasn’t been great over the last month, though, as he has a 6.12 ERA, 5.65 FIP, and 22 strikeouts over his last 32 1/3 innings, spanning six starts, all of which the Mariners lost. Millers’ only start against the Brewers was a good one, as he went seven scoreless frames with seven strikeouts to pick up the win in Milwaukee back in 2024.
Wednesday, August 19 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Dustin May (6-7, 4.13 ERA, 3.30 FIP) vs. RHP Logan Gilbert (9-7, 3.28 ERA, 3.47 FIP)
May has gotten off to a solid start in a Brewer uniform. In a pair of starts (against the Pirates and Padres), May has totaled 13 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and five walks while striking out 11. For the season, he has a 4.13 ERA, 3.30 FIP, and 117 strikeouts over 122 innings. The right-hander has faced the Mariners once in his career, back in 2021 while with the Dodgers. He took the loss in that game, allowing four runs (three earned) and striking out eight over five frames.
Gilbert, 29, is in year No. 6 and has been a reliable presence in Seattle’s rotation, with an ERA between 3.20 and 3.75 each of the last five years. This season is no different, with a 3.28 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 152 strikeouts across 145 1/3 innings thus far. He went six scoreless innings in his last outing against the Yankees, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out seven to pick up his ninth win of the season. Gilbert has started against Milwaukee each of the last three seasons, totaling 18 innings with a 4.00 ERA and 25 strikeouts. The Brewers have won two of those three games, with their only loss coming in a 1-0 game last year.
Thursday, August 20 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (3-5, 4.54 ERA, 4.59 FIP) vs. RHP George Kirby (8-9, 3.89 ERA, 3.78 FIP)
Gasser has been solid in his last several appearances, allowing no more than three runs in an outing since getting roughed up for seven runs in his last start before the All-Star break. Since then, he’s made five starts, totaling 27 innings with 10 runs allowed (3.33 ERA) and 25 strikeouts, as the Brewers have gone 4-1 in those appearances (his last time out against the Dodgers was a 3-1 loss). This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against Seattle.
Kirby, 28, is in his fifth season with the Mariners, and after a somewhat rough 2025 (4.21 ERA, though a still solid 3.37 FIP), he’s bounced back for a 3.89 ERA, 3.78 FIP, and 114 strikeouts this season. He’s allowed an AL-worst 148 hits over 136 2/3 innings, and he was the worst in the league in that stat in 2024 allowing 181 hits over 191 innings. He went 4 2/3 innings his last time out, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out two in an extra-innings loss to the Astros. Kirby’s only start against Milwaukee came last year, when he took the loss after allowing four runs and striking out three across six innings.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, August 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, August 19: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, August 20: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is a matchup featuring a pair of teams who finished one step away from the World Series a year ago; one team has had a lot more success than the other in 2026, though. Give me the Crew to take two of three.
