Cubs get possible leg up as Brewers reveal key pitcher will miss NLDS

On the heels of a dramatic win over the NL Wild Card Series, the Chicago Cubs now turn their attention to the National League Division Series and the #1 overall seed Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee rode a historic hot streak this summer to a fourth division title in the last five years, only adding fuel to the fire that reached its peak when the Cubs poached Craig Counsell away with a record-setting contract in Nov. 2023. His arrival in Chicago was supposed to mark the turning of the tide between the two foes, but that hasn't been the case - at least not yet.

Brewers' Brandon Woodruff to miss the NLDS with a lat injury

Counsell and the Cubs have a ripe opportunity ahead of them: to knock baseball's best team out of the postseason. That effort gets underway on Saturday afternoon in Game 1 in Milwaukee, but ahead of the series opener, Brewers manager Pat Murphy gave an update on injured starter Brandon Woodruff - and it bodes well for Chicago.

Woodruff sustained the injury on Sept. 17 and is yet to even resume a throwing program. The big right-hander worked to a 7-2 mark and 3.20 ERA in a dozen starts this year, and the initial plan for the Brewers was to slot the 32-year-old in behind Freddy Peralta, their Game 1 starter.

Instead, Murphy will choose between breakout sensation Quinn Priester and veteran left-hander Jose Quintana for Monday's Game 2. That could be determined by how the series opener goes, but regardless, not having to deal with Woodruff certainly doesn't hurt the Cubs' chances of pulling off an upset in the NLDS.

In his MLB career, Woodruff has made 17 starts and a pair of relief appearances against Chicago, working to a 3.28 ERA across 90 2/3 innings. The Cubs beat him earlier this year in an August doubleheader at Wrigley, tagging him for three earned runs in 4 1/3 frames, but he's always been a tough draw - especially at home.