The opening game of the NL Division Series did not go the way that the Chicago Cubs drew it up. Starting pitcher Matthew Boyd was tasked with being the first face the batters on the Milwaukee Brewers’ roster.

The Brewers reminded the Cubs why the NL Central Division winners also have home-field advantage throughout the entire MLB postseason. Milwaukee took Game 1 from Chicago, 9-3, and will host the next game on Monday, as well.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that Shota Imanaga will take the mound against the Brewers in Game 2. Chicago needs a strong performance like the one he gave Milwaukee on July 30. Imanaga struck out eight batters in just five innings of work at American Family Field.

In a must-win situation, the 2016 World Series champions don’t want to come back to Wrigley Field being down 0-2. That puts Chicago in a situation where they have to win three games in a row against Milwaukee just to stave off elimination.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Cubs took two of three early on in the regular season from the Brewers. A 10-0 pounding in the series opener was followed up with a 6-2 victory to give Chicago a series win in Milwaukee.

Imanaga was the starting pitcher in the third game of that set in May. The Japanese native missed significant time after that loss. In just his second season with both MLB and the Cubs, Imanaga has a 4.22 ERA and 0.94 WHIP when facing the Brewers on the road.

If he were to pitch well, Chicago could beat Milwaukee for the eighth time in 2025. The Cubs took the regular season series from the NL Central winners, 7-6.

The Cubs are due to win with Imanaga on the mound

Chicago is 1-4 in their last five games Imanaga has started. However, from June 26 through the month of July, the Game 2 starter for Monday went 5-2 in those seven starts, including a pair of shutout victories.

Imanaga is a solid starter for the Cubs. Even though he only went 9-8 during the regular season, he still struck out 117 batters. His WHIP was below 1.00 as well (0.99).

Injuries affected Imanaga and limited the number of games he could show off his 2024 form. The 32-year-old went 15-3 last season. Imanaga recorded 174 strike outs for the Cubs in 2024.

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) hits an RBI double during the first inning of their National League Division Series game against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, October 4, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the Brewers won the World Series in 1982, they did not make their next postseason appearance until 2008. That’s a 26-year drought.

Milwaukee dropped Game 2 of the 2008 NL Divisional Round against the Philadelphia Phillies and ultimately lost the series 3-1. The Brewers did, however, win Game 2 three seasons later against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS.

In the next round, the Brewers were ousted by an NL Central foe in the St. Louis Cardinals. Milwaukee won Game 1 by scoring nine runs. Sound familiar?

The Brewers coughed up Game 2 and allowed the Cardinals back into the series. St. Louis would go on to win the NL Championship Series in 2011, 4-2.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As recently as the 2021 NL Division Series, the Brewers took Game 1 from the Atlanta Braves. That would be the only win for Milwaukee that round as they dropped the next three against Atlanta and were eliminated from the postseason. Current Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson can attest to that as he was a part of that Braves team that season.

Thus, patience is a virtue. Chicago has to remember one loss does not make or break your (post)season. Just like one win doesn’t guarantee Milwaukee’s future success after winning Game 1.

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