Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Odds and Picks for Tuesday, 06/17/25

The Milwaukee Brewers send right-hander Chad Patrick to the mound as they look to keep pace in a tight NL Central race. Patrick has been a steady presence in the rotation, posting a 3.25 ERA with 71 strikeouts over 74.2 innings. While he’s not overpowering, he’s been effective at managing contact and limiting big innings, though he did give up five runs in his last outing against Atlanta. Still, his ability to navigate lineups twice through has been key for Milwaukee, who will lean on a bullpen that ranks among the best in late-inning effectiveness. Offensively, the Brewers have cooled off after a hot start, and they’ll likely need to grind out runs in what projects to be a low-scoring battle at Wrigley.

The Cubs will counter with rookie Ben Brown, who brings big strikeout upside—83 Ks in just over 69 innings—but also carries a 5.71 ERA due to control issues and occasional command lapses. Brown has shown flashes of dominance, including a six-inning shutout performance against the Brewers earlier this season, but consistency remains a challenge. With ace Shota Imanaga nearing a return, Brown may be pitching to solidify his rotation spot. The Cubs’ bullpen has been elite, posting a 3.16 ERA and locking down tight games. Given Brown’s ability to miss bats and the Cubs’ recent trend of winning close, low-scoring games, this one shapes up as a pitchers’ duel.

Brewers vs Cubs Prediction: Under 9 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable to that number