Game Thread #5: Milwaukee Brewers (0-4) vs. Kansas City Royals (2-2)

Chad Patrick looks to get the Brewers back on track in his first big league start

I don’t know how else to put it — the 2025 Brewers, through four games, have been historically bad. Milwaukee has only scored more than three runs once so far this season. They have also now given up 11-plus runs in three straight games, including yesterday’s blowout in the home opener against the Kansas City Royals.

The good news is that it can’t really get much worse. The Brewers are a better team than their somewhat inauspicious start suggests and should eventually regress to the mean.

In order for that to happen, however, Milwaukee will need to get more out of their pitchers. Injuries have decimated the rotation, with Aaron Civale now joining Tobias Myers, DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Robert Gasser, and Brandon Woodruff as rotation options on the IL.

Milwaukee hopes that RHP Chad Patrick, who won the Triple-A pitching Triple Crown last year with Nashville (leading both Triple-A leagues in wins, strikeouts, and ERA), can stop the bleeding. Patrick will be starting his first game in the big leagues today against Kansas City. He’s on the older side for a prospect (26) but has performed well in the minors since being acquired from the Athletics in 2023. Taking the mound for the Royals is veteran righty Michael Lorenzen.

As for the lineup, it’s mostly business as usual. Brice Turang leads off for the second time in the last three games. Turang’s been hitting pretty well, with a home run and four total hits in four games.

Milwaukee will need him to get on base, but it won’t matter if the heart of the lineup (Chourio, Yelich, and Contreras) can’t knock him in. All three have arguably underperformed relative to expectations so far this season — especially Yelich and Contreras, who have three combined hits through the first four games. With that being said, there’s no reason that they shouldn’t also regress to the mean.

Sal Frelick, who’s been the Brewers’ most consistent hitter through four games, hits fifth again. Oliver Dunn, still looking for his first hit of the season, is at third over Vinny Capra. Eric Haase gets the start at catcher tonight for Milwaukee, giving William Contreras a chance to rest his legs.

First pitch is slated for 6:40 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on FanDuel Sports Wisconsin and broadcast via radio on the Brewers Radio Network.