Pittsburgh Pirates @ Milwaukee Brewers - June 23, 2025

As a former coach, I’ve seen my fair share of intense rivalries in Major League Baseball, and the matchup between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers is no exception. The two teams are set to renew hostilities at American Family Field on Monday, and given their current trajectories, we can expect a spirited contest.

On the mound for the Pirates is Braxton Ashcraft. He enters this game with an impressive 1-0 record and a sparkling 1.5 ERA, which speaks volumes about his ability to keep runs off the board early in his career. His strikeout rate of 7.4 batters per nine innings shows that he can be effective when he finds his rhythm on the mound. However, it’s essential to consider how young pitchers handle pressure situations—especially against division rivals who know them well.

The Brewers will counter Ashcraft with Chad Patrick, who has had a more tumultuous season with a 3-7 record and a 3.9 ERA. While those numbers suggest he’s been hit harder than he’d like, he still brings an average of over eight strikeouts per game into this matchup. As any seasoned coach knows, it’s crucial for pitchers to find their groove early; if Patrick can locate his fastball effectively and establish secondary pitches that keep hitters off-balance, he could turn things around.

Offensively speaking, one major factor will be how each lineup stacks up against these pitchers’ tendencies. The Brewers have averaged just over 4.5 runs per game while putting together approximately eight hits nightly—a sign they’re finding ways to create scoring opportunities despite only posting a .235 batting average overall. Conversely, the Pirates struggle offensively at just over three runs per game with a batting average of .222—a number that reflects significant difficulties in producing consistent offense.

In terms of recent form, the Brewers are riding high with four consecutive victories under their belt and seem to be clicking as a unit right now—they’re gaining confidence after beating Minnesota in their last outing by one run in what was certainly an exciting finish for fans and bettors alike! On the other hand, while Pittsburgh secured an impressive win against Texas recently (8-3), they remain below .500 overall this season and have struggled lately with two wins out of their last eight games.

Taking all these factors into consideration leads me to predict that tonight’s matchup favors Milwaukee quite strongly—especially playing at home where they often thrive despite some uneven performances there earlier this season (2-9 ATS in their last eleven). I would not be surprised if we see the scoreboard light up either; given both teams’ recent trends toward high-scoring affairs—the total score might very well surpass that opening line of 8.5.

As coaches often say: “It’s not just about showing up; it’s about executing.” If both teams manage execution on offense tonight but particularly if Milwaukee continues its recent trend towards offensive explosion—and if Chad Patrick can pitch effectively—we should expect nothing less than another victory for them as they continue pushing through July!