2021 was the last time that the Milwaukee Brewers (62-54 entering the series) and Chicago White Sox (47-69) met on a baseball diamond. It hasn't happened in Chicago's American League park since 2020. That is set to change Friday night before these clubs meet again for this Saturday showdown. Guaranteed Rate Field is the venue, with this nationally televised game scheduled for a 7:15 p.m. EDT start. Let's see how these franchises stack up before game two.
The first-place Brewers enter the weekend with a few games between them and the two NL Central challengers. Unlike the Cubs and Reds, Milwaukee's hopes hinge on their pitching maintaining a high level. Brandon Woodruff's return has helped the rotation a ton. He's started three games and only allowed three runs over 16.1 innings. Woodruff has 21 strikeouts against three walks this season. He finished 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 3.08 FIP, and 1.070 WHIP. Entering this start, it seems as if 2023's version of Woodruff is on a similar path.
THAT'LL DO!#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/doQk6PfHHh
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 9, 2023
When it comes to scoring, the Brewers are only 23rd in runs per game. They're 28th in batting average, 27th in slugging percentage, and 23rd in OBP. Along with that, Milwaukee is 24th in strikeout rate and 22nd in homers. They steal bases well (11th) and draw plenty of walks (third in walk rate). However, that hasn't been enough for the team to cross the plate at an above-average pace.