The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres are set for a thrilling rubber match today after splitting the first two games of this series. Last night, Milwaukee watched a gem from Jacob Misiorowski slip away as the Padres staged a late comeback to steal a ninth-inning win. Now, both teams are hungry to claim the series, with left-hander Kyle Harrison taking the mound for the Brewers against San Diego's right-hander Griffin Canning.
Harrison has been a bright spot in Milwaukee's youth-driven rotation, posting a stellar 2.41 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over seven appearances. The 23-year-old has yet to allow more than two runs in any outing while striking out over 11 batters per nine innings, pitching with the poise of a seasoned veteran. However, his last start against the Yankees was a grind—he surrendered just two runs on four hits but walked four batters, put a runner on base in every inning, and lasted only four frames. He'll be eager to bounce back against a Padres lineup that Misiorowski dominated just 24 hours ago.
On the other side, San Diego turns to Griffin Canning, a former Gold Glove winner making just his third start of the season. Canning opened 2025 on the injured list rehabbing an Achilles tear suffered last year with the Mets, but he posted a career-best 3.77 ERA before the injury. He looked sharp in his season debut against the White Sox but was roughed up for six runs by the Cardinals in his last outing. The Padres will need him to find his form quickly to keep pace with Milwaukee's lineup.
Speaking of that lineup, Brewers manager Pat Murphy has kept the top of the order intact, with Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras leading off. Contreras gets a day off from catching duties but remains in the cleanup spot as the designated hitter, with Gary Sánchez behind the plate. Andrew Vaughn bats fifth, followed by Luis Rengifo at third base. The bottom of the order features Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton, who starts at shortstop in place of Joey Ortiz.
One notable absence: Christian Yelich is out of the lineup again after Murphy revealed yesterday that the former MVP has been dealing with "back soreness." Yelich reportedly attempted to play through it last night, but given his history of back issues, the Brewers are wisely taking a cautious approach. It's a situation worth monitoring closely over the next few days, as Yelich's bat is a key piece of Milwaukee's attack.
Today's first pitch is set, and with both teams eyeing a series win, this one promises to deliver all the drama and intensity that makes baseball the ultimate game.