The Cubs have been very tough on the Brewers lately, winning on Friday and Saturday, and are 5-1 in their last 6 meetings. The Cubs bats have surged lately all the way to third in the league with an OPS of .770. The Brewers have reverted to last year’s number on offense at .182, .607 OPS over the last two weeks. While the Cubs have won 5 straight, and 8 of 10, they face a tough customer in Brandon Woodruff on Sunday. Woodruff is slightly more fallible than normal with an ERA of 3.44 in August. Opposing batters are hitting .243 against him this month and he has given up a pair of home runs in each of his last two starts. Woodruff is not at his best when pitching on the road.

He faces the Cubs’ left-hander Justin Steele, who has a rock solid ERA of 1.66 in his last 7 games with a pair of shut-outs in his last 3 starts. He faced the Brewers in July, allowing just 1 run in 6+ innings, and is much better at home.

The Brewers are a solid favorite today, based solely on Woodruff’s reputation. I am not so sure of that outcome. The Cubs’ bullpen has been solid, possibly not quite on par with the Brewers’ but there is no comparison on offense, and Steele has been at least as good as Woodruff lately. Take the Cubs on the run line at +1 ½, although an outright win would not surprise me.