Key Brewers injury during blowout could turn Game 2 momentum in Cubs’ direction

Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the NLDS quickly got out of hand when Matthew Boyd imploded during the first inning of the game. Before Cubs fans blinked, the Brewers turned the game into a laugher, and many likely turned the game off in favor of a Taylor Swift album watch party or college football. Despite the Brewers' putting Game 1 on cruise control, a key moment happened early in the game that could change the landscape of the entire series.

In the bottom of the second inning, Jackson Chourio recorded what was already his third hit of the game and tallied his third RBI. Chourio made history, becoming the first player in Major League history to have three hits in the first two innings of a postseason game. The celebration quickly turned to concern as, after legging out his infield hit in the second inning, Chourio was removed from the game with what appeared to be a leg injury.

Brewers injury fallout could give Cubs an unexpected edge in Game 2

Speaking with the TBS broadcast during the game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy confirmed that Chourio suffered a right hamstring injury. It was against the Cubs at the end of July that Chourio suffered a right hamstring strain that forced him to miss nearly the entire month of August. While more testing is certainly needed, the impression from Murphy was that Chourio almost certainly wouldn't be available for the Brewers in Game 2.

If Saturday was any indication, the Cubs are going to need every break they can find against the Brewers in the NLDS. The Brewers have been a team that has defied logic throughout the regular season, but taking Chourio away from the top of their lineup makes it far less likely for Milwaukee's offense to be the reason why the Cubs lose this series. Add in that the Brewers won't have Brandon Woodruff available this series, and even after the disastrous Game 1 effort, the door may still be cracked open for the Cubs.

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