The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers will play in Game 2 of the NLDS on Monday night. The Brewers claimed Game 1 with a dominant 9-3 victory, leaving the Cubs in must-win territory on the road. This is a bullpen game for the Brewers and it will be interesting to see if they can take a 2-0 lead with that in mind. Before the first pitch from Milwaukee, continue reading to get my Cubs vs Brewers Game 2 prediction.
Our Cubs vs Brewers Game 2 Pick
- Pick: Brewers moneyline
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Date & Time: Monday, October 6, 2025, 9:08 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers:
- Cubs: Shōta Imanaga (9-8, 3.73 ERA)
- Brewers: Aaron Ashby (5-2, 2.16 ERA)
- Stadium: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
- Broadcast: TBS, truTV, HBO Max
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
Milwaukee is opting for a more flexible approach by using Aaron Ashby as an opener. Ashby threw 1.1 scoreless innings in Game 1 and has a 2.16 ERA over the season. The Brewers have not yet disclosed who will follow him, but the expectation is that Quinn Priester will do that. Priester has been reliable this season and will try to pass an important test against a division rival in the postseason.
Chicago manager Craig Counsell has confirmed Shōta Imanaga as the starter for this contest. Imanaga has prior experience against Milwaukee. In three starts against the Brewers this season, he had a 3.57 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks across 17.2 innings.
Key Players
- Jackson Chourio (MIL): His status is uncertain. He injured his right hamstring during Game 1 after going 3 for 3 with three RBI before exiting. If he can’t go, Isaac Collins will likely start in left.
- Seiya Suzuki (CHC): Suzuki went 0-4 at the plate in the opening game of this best-of-five series. He has to be more productive at the plate if the Cubs are going to avoid coming home down 0-2.
Recent team streaks
The Brewers have won two games in a row coming into this contest, including their first game of the postseason on Saturday. Chicago has dropped two of their last three games and are 2-2 in the postseason overall.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Prop |
|---|---|---|
| Shōta Imanaga | Strikeouts | Under 5.5 |
| Jackson Chourio | Total Bases | Over 1.5 (if he plays) |
Betting Trends & H2H
- These teams are 7-7 against each other this season, including both the regular season and playoffs.
- The first game of this series went over its total with 12 total runs scored.
Cubs vs Brewers Game 2 Model Projection
Score Projection: Brewers 4 — Cubs 2
Win Probability: Brewers 57%, Cubs 43%
Final Thoughts
This is a must-win game for Chicago, as they need to avoid going down 0-2 and having to win three straight games. But I don’t think that the Cubs are going to get the win in this matchup. Milwaukee will likely send Priester to the mound after Ashby is done and that should mean a rough day for the bats of Chicago once again. I’ll take the Brew Crew to win at home and to go up 2-0, moving to within one game of reaching the NLCS.
