LEADING OFF: Brewers eye 3rd straight win vs rival Cubs

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

SOMETHING'S BREWING

The Milwaukee Brewers have a chance to put a little heat on the front-running Chicago Cubs if they can beat them for the third straight time.

After losing the series opener at Wrigley Field, the Brewers bounced back with a pair of taut one-run victories. The setbacks marked the first back-to-back losses by Chicago this season. Cubs ace Jon Lester @-0, 1.06 ERA) will try to end the short skid in the finale against Milwaukee’s Josh Lindblom (1-0, 5.68).

ACHING IN ATLANTA

The Atlanta Braves are going to have to wait a little longer before star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.'s aching left wrist is ready to go. The team opted to place the 22-year-old on the injured list retroactive to last Tuesday, meaning he won't be eligible to return before Friday. The Braves had held off putting Acuña on the list in hopes he'd be ready to go by the end of the weekend.

UNEXPECTED BREAK

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been able to avoid any active COVID-19 cases in their clubhouse, but the novel coronavirus is messing with their schedule anyway. After having a three-game series in St. Louis wiped out earlier in the week while the Cardinals dealt with a widespread outbreak, the Cincinnati Reds were forced to scrap the final two games of their weekend series against Pittsburgh after one of their players tested positive.

Both teams are scheduled to be off on Monday, though Major League Baseball has yet to schedule makeup games for the two lost over the weekend.

STRASBURG OUT

The defending World Series champions will have to try and climb out of an early-season funk without Stephen Strasburg. The ace landed on the 10-day injured list with carpal tunnel neuritis on his right (pitching) hand. Strasburg, in the first season...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Brewers-eye-3rd-straight-win-vs-15487031.php