The Milwaukee Brewers are headed back home for a quick three-game set with the Texas Rangers. The Brewers, at 82-51, are looking for their fourth consecutive series win in Thursday’s rubber match with the Mets. They currently sit 6.5 games ahead of the Cubs atop the NL Central and two games ahead of the Dodgers for the best record in baseball. The Rangers, who won the World Series in 2023, haven’t had much success since that run, as they’ve hovered right around .500 each of the last three seasons,
including a 66-68 record in 2026. In a very bad AL West, though, they sit just a half game behind the Astros for the division lead.
Milwaukee’s lone position player on the injury report is first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers, who is reportedly dealing with shin splints and is considered day to day as the team hopes to give him a few days off. On the mound, Dustin May is the latest injury, as he took a 106-mph liner off his right shoulder blade on the first pitch of Wednesday night’s game, though X-rays came back negative and May said after the game he hopes to make his next scheduled start. Relievers Abner Uribe and JoJo Romero are both on rehab assignments and hope to return soon, with Brandon Woodruff, Joel Kuhnel, and Rob Zastryzny also potentially in the mix for returns before the end of the season. Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season after undergoing season-ending surgery.
The Rangers are without third baseman Josh Jung, catcher Kyle Higashioka, and outfielder Michael Helman (who, if you’ll recall, crushed the Brewers in Texas last year, going 4-for-9 with two homers, a double, and seven RBIs in a three-game sweep). On the mound, Jack Leiter, Robert Garcia, Nathan Eovaldi, Jose Corneill, Jalen Beeks, and Carter Baumler are all shelved.
Milwaukee’s offense is anchored by Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras. Garrett Mitchell, Andrew Vaughn, and Joey Ortiz have also been solid producers in recent weeks, and Christian Yelich has seemingly found a bit of a groove in New York. Gary Sánchez, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara round things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .254/.337/.396 (.733 OPS ranks tied for fifth), with 121 homers (last), 660 runs scored (fourth), and 131 steals (third).
Jake Burger and Joc Pederson lead Texas with 23 homers each this season, while Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran lead the team with 127 and 119 hits, respectively. Old friend Danny Jansen shares backstop duties with Elias Díaz and deadline acquisition Logan O’Hoppe, who was just called up this week, while Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford, and Evan Carter are also key threats offensively. Justin Foscue, Nicky Lopez, and Cody Freeman round things out. As a team, the Rangers are hitting .243/.317/.396 (.713 OPS ranks tied for 21st), with 149 homers (tied for 18th), 543 runs scored (tied for 26th), and 63 steals (26th).
Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill lead Milwaukee’s bullpen, as Ashby has a team-high 62 appearances and Megill has been one of the best closers in the league for the last few months, lowering his season ERA to 2.28 with 24 saves in 26 chances. Chad Patrick and DL Hall also sit in high-leverage roles with Uribe on the shelf, and Grant Anderson, Antonio Senzatela, and Bryse Wilson in low-leverage roles. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.39 team ERA (second), including a 3.47 starter ERA (third) and a 3.29 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,284 batters (second) over 1,189 2/3 innings.
The Rangers have a few old friends in their bullpen, including Tyler Alexander (team-high 60 appearances with a 3.47 ERA over 57 IP), Jordan Montgomery (5.73 ERA over 11 IP), and Jakob Junis (2.84 ERA over 44 1/3 IP). Closer Jakob Latz has been one of the best relievers in baseball with a 1.68 ERA and 26 saves in 29 opportunities. Peyton Gray (3.83 ERA over 54 IP), Cole Winn (5.63 ERA over 48 IP), Robby Ahlstrom (6.03 ERA over 31 1/3 IP), and deadline acquisition Chase Silseth (3.18 ERA over 11 1/3 IP) round things out. As a staff, the Rangers have a 4.27 team ERA (21st), including a 4.24 starter ERA (15th) and a 4.36 bullpen ERA (23rd). They’ve struck out 1,131 batters (13th) over 1,173 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, August 28 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (8-2, 2.60 ERA, 3.33 FIP) vs. LHP Cody Bradford (0-2, 3.05 ERA, 3.18 FIP)
Henderson continues to be one of the best pitchers in Milwaukee’s rotation, with an 8-2 record, 2.60 ERA, 3.33 FIP, and 79 strikeouts across 69 1/3 innings this season. Milwaukee has won each of his last two games started, as he totaled 13 innings with two runs allowed and 10 strikeouts in victories over the Dodgers and Braves, the two teams alongside the Brewers vying for a first-round bye in the postseason. This marks Henderson’s first career appearance against Texas.
Bradford, 28, is a former sixth-round pick who, after scattering 34 appearances (21 starts) across 2023 and 2024, missed all of 2025 and the first four months of 2026 with an arm injury before returning to the team in early August. He’s made four starts this month, totaling 20 2/3 innings with a 3.05 ERA, 3.18 FIP, and 13 strikeouts, though the Rangers are just 1-3 in those games. Bradford has hovered right around 80 pitches in all four of his outings, including his last start against the Angels, when he went 5 1/3 innings with two runs allowed on seven hits and no walks, striking out three on 80 pitches in a 3-0 loss. Bradford has never appeared against the Brewers.
Saturday, August 29 @ 6:15 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (6-5, 3.84 ERA, 3.33 FIP) vs. RHP Cal Quantrill (6-4, 2.90 ERA, 4.02 FIP)
Drohan continues to be good, not great at the back of Milwaukee’s current six-man rotation. He took the loss in Sunday’s Little League Classic against the Braves, allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out five over five frames. For the year, he’s 6-5 with a 3.84 ERA, 3.33 FIP, and 104 strikeouts across 105 1/3 innings. Like Henderson, this marks his first career appearance against Texas.
Quantrill, 31, is a former No. 8 overall pick who has struggled mightily over the last few seasons, but he’s been much better in 2026 with Texas. He’s made 27 appearances (10 starts) this year, with a 6-4 record, 2.90 ERA, 4.02 FIP, and 60 strikeouts across 83 2/3 innings. He’s been really good in August, making five appearances (four starts) totaling 25 innings with an 0.72 ERA, 2.40 FIP, and 21 strikeouts. Quantrill has made four career appearances (three starts) against Milwaukee, with a 3.14 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 14 1/3 innings.
Sunday, August 30 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (4-5, 4.59 ERA, 4.44 FIP) vs. RHP Kumar Rocker (5-10, 4.41 ERA, 4.39 FIP)
Gasser, who stepped in and basically started in Wednesday’s win over the Mets after May’s exit just one pitch into the game, seems unlikely to start on Sunday after throwing 82 pitches, but for now, we’ll keep him here as he’s still listed as the probable starter (if I was a betting man, I’d say this is more likely to be Coleman Crow or even May himself). Gasser has made 16 appearances (15 starts) this year, with a 4-5 record, 4.59 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and 78 strikeouts across 82 1/3 innings. He was solid in that win over the Mets, going 5 1/3 innings with one run allowed as he scatter six hits and a pair of walks, striking out six. This would also mark Gasser’s first career appearance against Texas.
Rocker, 26, is a former No. 3 overall pick by Texas in 2022. He made his debut with the Rangers in 2024 but hasn’t had much success across parts of three seasons in the majors, with -0.1 career bWAR across 42 appearances (40 starts). This has been his best season yet, though, as he’s made 25 appearances (23 starts) with a 5-10 record, 4.41 ERA, 4.39 FIP, and 117 strikeouts across 126 2/3 innings. Rocker has gone at least five innings in each of his last three starts, totaling 15 2/3 innings with seven runs allowed (4.02 ERA) and 14 strikeouts. This marks Rocker’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, August 28: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, August 29: Nationally televised on Fox/Fox One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, August 30: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
While the Brewers don’t have their top starters lined up this weekend (they’re saving them for next week’s Cubs series), they still have the advantage in just about every facet. I’ll take Milwaukee to win two of three.
