Milwaukee, WI
Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs
As the trade deadline approaches, the Brewers face the Chicago Cubs for a series that could influence the outcome the fate of Chicago’s season.
The Cubs sit last in the division, but still within reach of a Wild Card spot. Given the crowded competition for those final playoff spots, this series could ultimately cause the Cubs to sit out of major additions if the Brewers take a commanding series victory.
It’s an opportunity to capitalize on a disappointing opponent, but the Cubs have been playing better lately. That’s part of what drives the narrative home for this potentially playing a role in the Cubs’ deadline plans. Over the past 30 days entering Sunday, according to FanGraphs, the Cubs rank 18th in runs scored and sixth in team ERA. That pitching performance could prove vital to how this three-game set plays out.
Although the Cubs have been hovering around the middle of the pack offensively, Ian Happ is a key performer who has stepped up recently. After a slog of underperformance, Happ has bounced back with a .261/.376/.543 (156 wRC+) slash line that includes 12 doubles and nine home runs since June 1.
Probable Pitcher Matchups
Monday, July 22 @ 7:05 p.m: Tobias Myers (3.13 ERA, 4.16 FIP) vs. Javier Assad (3.27 ERA, 4.51 FIP)
This series has quite a few pitchers starting with ERAs significantly lower than their underlying peripherals suggest, but this could prove to be one of the more fascinating matchups of the week. Tobias Myers’ 3.13 ERA has been vital to the Brewers’ success. His most recent performance was one of his most impressive, an eight-inning shutout against the Pirates. As the season has progressed, he’s been walking fewer batters, giving up fewer home runs, and inducing more groundballs. Will that formula carry over against this Cubs lineup?
Javier Assad hasn’t been the most convincing pitcher, especially in recent weeks. After a solid start to the season, Assad had a 1.49 ERA after nine starts. In eight starts since then, Assad’s 5.59 ERA has been accompanied by a rising walk rate and a growing tally of home runs allowed. He usually doesn’t go deep in games, only pitching at least five innings in four of those nine recent starts.
Tuesday, July 23 @ 7:05 p.m: Colin Rea (3.77 ERA, 4.48 FIP) vs. Jameson Taillon (3.10 ERA, 3.81 FIP)
Colin Rea has been a steady presence for the Brewers this season, working a 9-3 record and a 3.77 ERA. There have been a few unsightly pitching lines, but in his eight most recent starts, he has allowed more than two runs just twice. That’s a model of consistency the Brewers are grateful for as Rea has even tapped into some more strikeouts lately. He doesn’t give away many free passes and he’s done a great job of forcing groundballs, feeding into the team’s defensive strength.
Jameson Taillon might not be an ace, but he’s a practical, effective pitcher when he’s at his best. He has a 3.10 ERA this season, which would be the best mark of his career. Taillon has expertly limited hard contact this season. His 35.6% hard-hit rate is in the 74th percentile, according to BaseballSavant. Taillon made significant improvements to his cutter, his second-most used pitch. The pitch allowed a .521 SLG last year, compared to .267 in 2024.
Wednesday, July 24 @ 1:20 p.m: TBD vs. Justin Steele (3.07 ERA, 3.18 FIP)
Joe Ross hasn’t pitched for the Brewers since May 20, but this could be the time for his return as he wraps up a rehab assignment. Although he isn’t the flashiest pitcher, he had been on a solid run before his injury. In his last four games, he had a 3.18 ERA over 17 innings. Ross had made one appearance this year against the Cubs, going six innings while allowing one run on May 3.
Justin Steele’s 2-4 record is deceptive given his actual performance. Over a nine-game span from May 27 to July 11, Steele pitched to an impressive 1.48 ERA. His most recent start, however, was much less dominant. In 4 2⁄3 innings against the Diamondbacks, he allowed five runs. Steele generally doesn’t give up many home runs or even surrender much hard contact, so it will be an important test in the series finale for the Brewers to face one of last year’s Cy Young candidates.
Prediction
The Cubs are at the bottom of the division for a reason. Although they aren’t quite in the “bad” category, they haven’t been the most impressive of the Brewers’ NL Central rivals. Still, they’ve been much better lately. I have more faith in the Brewers offense, but the Cubs bullpen has been the best in baseball over the last 30 days with a 1.86 ERA. If Milwaukee’s offense can’t create many leads, it could lead to a coin flip of a series. With that said, I think the overall quality of Milwaukee’s team is slightly higher, leading to a 2-1 series victory.
Starting on Tuesday, May 26, a portion of the intersection at South 35th Street and West National Avenue will be closed to northbound drivers, city officials announced at a press conference on Wednesday, May 20.
Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa and Ald. Peter Burgelis announced that the new construction, which will close part of South 35th Street, is being led by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
While a part of the road will be closed, the 35th Street Viaduct will remain open.
The partial closure of the major thoroughfare is among a series of construction projects affecting Milwaukee travelers, including Dominique Alvarado-Gonzalez, who lives on the south side and commutes north each day to take her kids to school near Marquette University’s campus.
Before the construction began on the south side, Alvarado-Gonzalez said she would take South 16th Street, South 27th Street or South 35th Street to drive up to the north side of the city.
Now, all of those roads connecting the north and south sides have been impacted by repair projects through the Milwaukee Department of Public Works and the state Department of Transportation.
“The roads are all torn up,” Alvarado-Gonzalez said. “It’s like a puzzle getting in there … no matter what time of day you’re traveling, there’s traffic everywhere.”
Elected officials say they received no notice of road closure
At the press conference, Zamarripa said there was no communication between the department and the Common Council to help notify neighbors on the south side.
Burgelis said he learned about the project when a constituent tagged him in a Facebook post about the closure.
“There are instances where I think they have not taken the time to properly educate neighbors, constituents, commuters,” Zamarripa said. “I would like to speak with [the Department of Transportation] leadership … I am very concerned about the latest limiting of access to 35th Street.”
Zamarripa said she will be meeting with Public Works and Milwaukee Water Works to discuss how people should navigate the south side amid the latest closure.
“It’s just become untenable,” Zamarripa said. “I can only imagine how the average Milwaukeean feels when they’re trying to navigate city streets, and they just don’t know what’s going to be accessible and what isn’t.”
Street closures increase on Milwaukee’s South Side
Currently, the 16th Street, 27th Street, and 60th Street Viaducts are all closed, leaving the Sixth and 35th Street Viaducts as the only bridges connecting the near south side of Milwaukee to the rest of the city.
According to Zamarripa, the city’s Public Works department fought to keep the 35th Street Viaduct open, only partially restricting travel, to reduce the impact on residents.
“Closing down one of the two remaining access points I think is a very, very bad idea,” Burgelis said.
In addition to the bridges that are closed for repairs, the National Avenue Reconstruction Project, led by Public Works and the state Department of Transportation, has limited drivers on West National Avenue between South 39th Street and South 27th Street to westbound travel only during its first phase.
A portion of West Lincoln Avenue from South 27th Street to South 31st Street is also closed on the south side.
“These investments are needed, but we have to be able to coordinate them better so our residents aren’t impacted,” Burgelis said.
Closures affect local business on south side
Jose Lozoya, owner of National Liquor Mart and El Caporal Authentic Mexican Grill on South 16th Street and West National Avenue, said his profits decreased a bit when the National Avenue construction began, but he was given years of notice by Public Works to prepare for the impact.
The bridge closures, particularly the 16th Street Viaduct, have hit harder, Lozoya said.
Since the start of construction, Lozoya said his profits have decreased by 50% with the loss of road and foot traffic. He was not given any notice before the 16th Street project began and said he wasn’t asked to give input on the project as he was with the National Avenue Reconstruction. He had to call Zamarripa’s office to learn why the 16th Street Viaduct was closed, he said.
“I think they should have closed one viaduct at a time,” Lozoya said. “It’s affected a lot of us in the area … now we have to regain the business.”
Alyssa Salcedo covers Silver City, Layton Park and Burnham Park for the Journal Sentinel’s Neighborhood Dispatch. Contact her at asalcedo@usatodayco.com.
Neighborhood Dispatch reporting is supported by Zilber Family Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Journal Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and reader contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project. Journal Sentinel editors maintain full editorial control over all content. To support this work, visit jsonline.com/support. Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation (memo: “JS Community Journalism”) and mailed to P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.
The JS Community-Funded Journalism Project is made possible through our partnership with Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association, and EnMotive, LLC, a subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc. USA TODAY Co., Inc. is the parent company of this publication.
Milwaukee, WI
I Use These Milwaukee Tools Every Day, and They’re up to 50% Off Ahead of Memorial Day
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Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
A good set of cordless tools will give your DIY projects polish, save you time, and make your life easier. But quality tools can be expensive. I use Milwaukee 18-volt tools in my personal tool kit and I’ve used them for everything from fixing my bathroom sink to building a deck. The batteries last at least 10 years without needing to be replaced, and the tools are comfortable to grip for long periods of time. There are some good Memorial Day deals at Home Depot on the tools I swear by.
If you’re starting a cordless tool set from scratch, a bundle will save you money and set you up with all the basics you need. Because these sets usually come with batteries and chargers as well as tools, they’re a good choice to begin a cordless tool set.
The Milwaukee 18-volt, six-tool set is now $499, 50% off its regular price. The bundle comes with a drill, an impact driver, an oscillating multitool, a circular saw, an angle grinder, a work light, two four-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. These tools can be used for basic projects, like hanging shelves, and for more advanced projects like cutting and building your own shelves.
Most DIY home improvement projects, from installing molding to repairing a deck will involve some cutting. Depending on what the scope of your project is, different types of cutting and shaping tools will be useful for different applications. There are a few good deals on cutting tools that will come in handy if you’re doing any building, patching, or rebuilding.
The 18-volt Milwaukee sawzall is $269, 51% off its usual price. This saw comes with a five-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a stacking case that’s compatible with the Milwaukee system. A sawzall is good for making rough cuts and trimming small to medium branches on trees and shrubs.
The 18-volt Milwaukee oscillating multitool is $119, 40% off its typical price. It comes with a two-amp-hour battery and a charger. This is the most versatile tool out there: It can be used to plunge cut, trim plaster and drywall, cut wood, PVC, metal, and foam, and can be adapted for sanding and buffing. I use my oscillating multitool on nearly every project I work on.
The Milwaukee 18-volt angle grinder is $299, 47% off its regular price. This tool comes with two six-amp-hour batteries and a charger. You can use an angle grinder for cutting metal, grinding welds, polishing metal, cutting off screw and nail tips that poke through, and for cleaning and buffing your surfaces. Some people use angle grinders for cutting tile and removing grout, but if you use yours for this, it’s important to make sure that the tile you’re cutting isn’t made from stone, that your material is wet, and that you wear proper safety gear like safety goggles and a respirator. The dust from masonry and tile can contain silica dust that’s quite dangerous to inhale.
What do you think so far?
This Milwaukee drill and driver are both on sale
A drill and driver are the most basic tools in a cordless set. Both the Milwaukee 18-volt, ½-inch chuck cordless drill and the 18-volt cordless impact driver are $129, 35% off their usual price. These tools will allow you to drive screws and bolts and drill holes for projects like mounting a flat screen TV or swapping out hardware on your cabinets.
These Milwaukee bits and extras are on sale, too
Milwaukee makes a wide range of tools to fit their 18-volt batteries, and one of my favorite surprise tools is on sale right now. There’s also an excellent deal on a hole saw set from Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless inflator is $299, 45% off its typical price. This tool comes with two six-amp-hour batteries and a charger. It can be really handy to have in your emergency roadside kit to inflate a tire and you can also use it for rafts or other inflatables. The inflator tool has a pressure gauge, an auto-shut-off feature, and three-foot hose for easy reach.
The Milwaukee eight-piece hole saw kit is $29.97, 40% off its regular price. The set comes with four sizes of hole saw blades, three drill bits, an arbor, and case. Hole saws can be used for cutting larger sized holes for passing wiring through timber, installing some types of door latches and knobs, and for creating cable pass-throughs in desktops.
Ruth the African Elephant likes to make her presence known by smashing things
Ruth, an African Elephant at the Milwaukee Zoo, likes to pick things up and smash them down.
Milwaukee County Zoo
A Yang without his Yin. The Milwaukee County Zoo is mourning the loss of another one of its animals.
Chinese alligator Yin, a longtime resident, was humanely euthanized in early May, the zoo shared in a Tuesday, May 19, post on its website and social media. She is suspected to have had ovarian cancer with metastasis, the zoo shared, citing preliminary necropsy results.
“Yin was a favorite among zookeepers and will be missed,” the post said. “She was very smart and slower to trust but comfortable once she knew the animal care team members. The zookeepers noted she was strong-willed and intelligent, and loved shrimp.”
When the animal care team noticed Yin was having mobility issues last June, the veterinary staff assessed her, which lead to antibiotic treatment for a spinal lesion, the post said. More recently, Yin’s skin condition and appetite have been declining.
“After much consideration about her quality of life, along with a poor prognosis, the team made the decision to humanely euthanize her,” the post said.
Yin was nearly 41 years old. The median life expectancy for a Chinese alligator in human care in 26 years old, according to the zoo.
Yin and male Chinese alligator Yang, 39, have been behind the scenes since Yin’s treatment began, with Yang providing companionship to her, the post said.
“In the morning, Yin and Yang were often seen laying closely, and they spent a lot of time together,” the post said.
Yin and Yang came to Milwaukee together from the Bronx Zoo in 1995.
Yang – who zookeepers note is healthy – will return to the Chinese alligator habitat, located in the zoo’s Aquatic & Reptile Center, once ongoing pool renovations to the habitat are completed, the post said.
The zoo has been in contact with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program coordinator, the post said, and Milwaukee will likely receive a recommendation for another female in the future.
Yin’s death comes just around a month after another longtime zoo resident, Brittany – a 45-year-old African savanna elephant – was humanely euthanized after her health declined. In September, one of the zoo’s other beloved geriatric elephants, Ruth, was euthanized after a couple of falls.
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