CHICAGO — All the worldâ€s a stage, and the Cubs and Brewers are set to take it Saturday night in a win-or-go-home meeting in Milwaukee.
The I-94 Rivalry heads back north for Game 5 of the National League Division Series, something that seemed unlikely after the Brewers jumped out to a 2-0 series lead. But the Cubs also won both of their home games, forcing a winner-take-all contest in the first postseason series between the two clubs.
Chicago, which took the regular-season series, 7-6, will try to set a single-postseason franchise record with its fourth elimination-game victory. Milwaukee, on the other hand, will seek its first postseason series win since 2018.
“Hopefully the tables will turn when we get into Game 5 at our place,†Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “… I admire our team. I have faith in our team. I think this had to happen this way. There will be no tougher environment to play in than they just did. This is a good prep for us, and I think we’ll be ready to play. I’m certain we’ll be ready to play in Game 5.â€
Of the 35 previous teams to lose Games 1-2 on the road in a Division Series with the current 2-2-1 format, only five forced a winner-take-all Game 5. But three of those five finished off the comeback in Game 5.
In all best-of-five postseason series, teams that have trailed 2-1 before avoiding elimination in Game 4 have gone on to win Game 5 and the series 29 of 50 times (58%). Teams playing any winner-take-all game on the road in postseason history have gone 67-66, including 1-2 in this yearâ€s Wild Card Series Game 3s.
“We were in this game last week Thursday, so it’s the same game,†Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, referring to Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series. “We had to fight our way to get into it, and I think the guys are fired up to pack their bags, no doubt about it. We had to earn two hard-fought wins. We did that. Now we get the opportunity and the fun of getting to go close out a series.â€
Awaiting the Cubs-Brewers winner are the defending World Series champion Dodgers, who took down the Phillies on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Hereâ€s everything you need to know about Game 5:
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 5 between the Cubs and Brewers will begin at 8:08 p.m. ET/7:08 p.m. CT on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB’s exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Cubs: TBA
Counsell has yet to reveal his Game 5 plan, but lefty Shota Imanaga (9-8, 3.73 ERA) would be lined up to take the ball on four days†rest. The preference with the lefty this season has been to offer him at least five days of rest prior to an outing, but Chicagoâ€s rotation is short-handed with Cade Horton (right rib fracture) sidelined. Imanaga started Game 2 and lasted 2 2/3 innings, in which he gave up four runs via two homers. He also yielded a crucial homer in his four-inning outing out of the bullpen in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against San Diego. The homers have been a persistent issue this year (31 in 144 2/3 innings), but the Cubs also know Imanaga is diligent in his preparation, game-planning and adjustments. In an all-hands-on-deck situation, itâ€s possible Counsell considers an opener or has a quick hook on Imanaga at the first sign of trouble.
Brewers: TBA
Once again, the Brewers didnâ€t immediately name a starter, which is part playing things close to the vest, and part the result of having only two fully stretched-out starting pitchers on the roster in Quinn Priester, who lost Game 3, and Freddy Peralta, who lost Game 4. With Jose Quintana having covered three-plus innings Wednesday and rookie Robert Gasser getting knocked around over the final two innings on Thursday, the Brewers might have to build their Game 5 pitching plan around another rookie, Jacob Misiorowski (5-3, 4.36 ERA). He was electric for three innings and 57 pitches in Game 2 in Milwaukee. But that doesnâ€t necessarily mean heâ€ll start.
What are the possible starting lineups?
Cubs: If the Brewers go with a lefty (similar to Game 2 with opener Aaron Ashby), Counsell might weigh a change with the leadoff spot. In that game, he went with veteran Justin Turner. But hot-hitting Nico Hoerner is also an option to move up a spot from the No. 2 hole. If itâ€s a righty, expect Michael Busch to be in the leadoff spot.
Brewers: The Brewers have faced a lefty starter in three of the first four games of this series, and it will be four of five if Imanaga starts for the second time. Hereâ€s the lineup they sent up against him in Game 2:
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Cubs: Expect everyone to be available for this winner-take-all Game 5. Even starter Jameson Taillon, who worked four innings in Game 3, said he would be willing to pitch, if necessary. Imanaga could be a bulk option if Counsell wants to go with an opener. Hard-throwing righty Daniel Palencia has been the go-to arm for important, multi-inning moments in the middle of games. If that trend continues, then the late-inning cast would be righties Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller, plus lefties Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz. Righties Michael Soroka, Aaron Civale and Ben Brown are also available for multiple innings (or as openers).
Brewers: Itâ€s all hands on deck for an elimination game, with Misiorowski, right-hander Nick Mears, left-hander Jared Koenig and closer Abner Uribe among Milwaukeeâ€s freshest leverage arms. Misiorowski and Uribe havenâ€t pitched since Game 2. Mears and Koenig pitched in the first three games of the series but didnâ€t work in Game 4.
Any injuries of note?
Cubs: Tucker has stayed put in the DH role since returning from a left calf injury that cost him three-plus weeks in September. Expect that to continue with Suzuki playing well in right field. There is no real urgency to get Tucker into the outfield as he keeps working back to 100% with his running. … Horton (15-day IL) threw a light bullpen on Tuesday and the plan was for him to throw a heavier bullpen session on Friday. Barring something unexpected, he is not expected to be activated for Game 5, even though eligible
Brewers: Chourio continues to play through a tight right hamstring that is “affecting him,†Murphy conceded before Game 4. “He knows what these games mean, and he’s doing everything with the trainers that he can. It’s not getting worse, he said, so that’s a good thing. It has affected us in small ways, the way we position the whole thing. If you dive into it, it has an effect.â€
Who is hot and who is not?
Cubs: Hoerner has a seven-game hitting streak to begin his postseason career — the longest such streak for the Cubs since Ryne Sandbergâ€s 10-game streak from 1984-89. Hoerner has hit .429 (12-for-28) in this stretch. … Busch has a .792 slugging percentage and four home runs in the playoffs, including three in the NLDS. … Tucker reached base four times in Game 4 (with a homer) and is hitting .304 with an .864 OPS in the playoffs. … Happ is hitting .115 (3-for-26) overall in the postseason, but had a crucial, three-run homer in the first inning of Game 4.
Brewers: Chourio has a hit in each of the first seven postseason games of his career, tying the Cubs†Hoerner for the longest active postseason hitting streak to begin a career. Chourio has a .462 career postseason batting average (12-for-26). … Second baseman Brice Turang, arguably the Brewers†most impactful hitter during the regular season, was 0-for-4 in Game 4 and is 2-for-16 with seven strikeouts in the NLDS.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• The Brewers fell to 3-10 in potential postseason clinching games, the lowest winning percentage among all teams.
• The Cubs are the first team with a first-inning home run in four straight games within a postseason.
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