Peralta, Imanaga Should Post Zeroes

Cubs vs. Brewers, 2:10 ET 

We got a win on the diamond yesterday and it was nice to just have the one play to worry about. With the NHL winding down and the NBA coming to a close in the next month-ish as well, baseball will be the primary sport to write about for almost all of June, July, and August. Then we get back into football season. I have two plays for us today and the first one is here between the Cubs and the Brewers. 

This is the best Cubs team that we've seen probably since they won the World Series. At least they are off to the best start since that season. They currently sit at 21-13 and are even good on the road with a 12-6 record away from the Friendly Confines. That doesn't mean that the Cubs are unbeatable or on the path to win another title, but as a Cubs fan, it is nice seeing them have a real offense and a pitching staff that seems capable of keeping them in almost every game. We will see what moves they make to strengthen their weaknesses after missing out on multiple pieces and being a seller at most deadlines the past few years. Before we focus on that, let's get through today as Shota Imanaga takes the hill. Imanaga is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has been the anchor of this Cubs rotation for two years now. He has made seven starts this season and has just two quality outings. He also has two bad outings where he allowed five earned runs in five innings. It seems as though the Brewers only faced him once last season and they got five hits in 18 at-bats against him. 

May 1, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) pitches against the New York Mets during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Brewers were my team to run it back and once again lead the division. It seems like that might not be the case this year, but it is still early, so just hang on to that future for now. Coming into today's contest, they are 16-18 with a 9-6 home record. They have lost both of the first two games against the Cubs and really don't want to be swept by a division rival. The best way to describe the Brewers is that they are surprisingly competitive. Despite losing a lot of key pieces, they seem to remain in games and are at the very least considered playoff hopefuls. One guy who has certainly stepped up for them is today's hurler, Freddy Peralta. Peralta for the season is 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Before you think this is a fluke, Peralta has shown in the past that he is capable of throwing like this for extended periods. Is he a true Ace? I'm more inclined to believe in him as a second starter, but he is among the best of those in the league. It hasn't been extensive, but he has thrown to a 0.69 ERA in 13 home innings this season. Cubs hitters have struggled against him in their careers, hitting just .171 against him. 

If you look at this game on the surface level, you have one team that is clearly better and playing better baseball - the Cubs. The Brewers are struggling, but they are at home. I also see that both starters are really good, with no real risk of either of them being bad. I could see the Brewers pulling this out. I think this is a rather low scoring game here, I'll back the under 7.5 with these two on the mound. 

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