The Chicago Cubs have no margin for error heading into Wednesday’s Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.
That’s the reality because the Cubs are down 2-0 after two lopsided losses in the teams’ best-of-five series.
In order for Chicago to save its season, it must roll off three straight victories against a Brewers team that posted a franchise-record 97 wins to earn the top seed in the NL.
Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, however, said he isn’t interested in the big picture — only the immediate one.
“You can’t look at it as this daunting three games,” he said. “You have to take it as, win (Wednesday), move on, win (Wednesday), move on. And so that’s the only thing that we can do as a group, is just win on Wednesday, go from there.”
Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong kept the faith when asked if his team has a chance to win the series.
“Absolutely,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I’d be a fool if I was here and didn’t think so. That’s why we’re here.”
The Cubs are in the playoffs on the strength of a high-octane offense that recorded 793 runs during the regular season, the fifth-highest total in the majors. Chicago, however, has just 12 runs in five playoff games.
The Cubs have won only one playoff series since their run to the NL Championship Series in 2017. That said, the Brewers haven’t won a postseason series since they reached the NLCS in 2018.
Illinois native Quinn Priester (13-3, 3.32 ERA in regular season) will look to send Milwaukee back to the NLCS on Wednesday when he starts in Game 3 against fellow right-hander Jameson Taillon (11-7, 3.68).
Priester is a graduate of Cary-Grove High School in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. And on Wednesday, he will have a chance to end the season of his favorite boyhood team.
“To have this opportunity to pitch in the postseason, it certainly brings about pressure or nerves, or anxiety,” Priester said, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “It’s all those things, but would I rather be sitting at home? Absolutely not. In no world would I rather not have this opportunity.”
Priester, 25, is 1-0 with a 6.28 ERA in three appearances (two starts) against the Cubs this season. He is 1-0 with a 6.20 ERA in 20 1/3 innings over four career outings (two starts) against them.
Taillon, 33, permitted two hits over four scoreless innings before exiting after 60 pitches in a no-decision in Chicago’s 3-1 victory Thursday over the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the wild-card series.
He is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts this season vs. the Brewers. Taillon is 6-10 with a 3.33 ERA in 113 2/3 innings over 21 career appearances (20 starts) against them.
Taillon will need to keep Milwaukee’s bats in check in Game 3. Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio each hit a three-run homer, and William Contreras added a solo shot in the Brewers’ 7-3 victory on Monday.
The power surge was a welcome sight for Chourio, who experienced right hamstring tightness in the series opener.
“It’s the mental hurdle,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I’m sure it’s not 100 percent. But I’m more worried about behavior than feelings. However he feels isn’t as important as how he behaves.”
–Field Level Media
