The Chicago Cubs head to American Family Field on Monday, September 7 for a 2:10 PM ET first pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in a regular season divisional matchup that carries real NL Central weight. Matthew Boyd gets the ball for Chicago against Milwaukee's Robert Gasser. With the Cubs and Brewers sharing the same division, every game between these two clubs matters, and a Labor Day afternoon showdown on the road is exactly the kind of spot where the Cubs need to show up and take care of business.

Starting Pitchers: Boyd vs. Gasser

Matthew Boyd draws the assignment for the Cubs. A veteran left-hander who has carved out a lengthy big league career, Boyd's job today is simple in concept and demanding in execution: keep Milwaukee's lineup off the board long enough to give the Cubs offense a chance to do damage. Robert Gasser takes the hill for the Brewers. The young Milwaukee right-hander has shown the ability to generate weak contact, and the Cubs will need to work counts and stay disciplined if they want to get into the Brewers bullpen early.

Chicago Cubs Lineup Breakdown

Manager Craig Counsell — or whoever is running this club — has Pete Crow-Armstrong leading off in center field, giving the Cubs a high-energy table-setter at the top. Seiya Suzuki slots in at two, followed by Alex Bregman hitting third at third base. Tyrone Taylor bats cleanup in left field, a lineup construction that puts power and run-production pressure squarely in the middle of the order. Nico Hoerner hits fifth at shortstop, Matt Shaw bats sixth in right field, Carson Kelly handles catching duties at seven, BJ Murray Jr. holds down first base at eight, and Pedro Ramírez rounds out the order at second base.

Milwaukee Brewers Lineup Breakdown

Milwaukee counters with Jackson Chourio leading off in left field — one of the more electric young hitters in the division. Brice Turang bats second at second base, followed by William Contreras behind the plate hitting third. Andrew Vaughn takes the cleanup spot at first base, with Christian Yelich in the DH slot at five. Luis Lara bats sixth in right, Cooper Pratt handles shortstop at seven, Garrett Mitchell patrols center field and hits eighth, and Joey Ortiz bats ninth at third base.

Keys to Watch

• Crow-Armstrong at the top: PCA sets the tone. If he gets on base early and creates havoc, Gasser is going to be playing from behind from the first inning.
• Bregman's production in the three-hole: Hitting third is a statement of trust. Bregman needs to drive runners in when the Cubs get traffic on the basepaths.
• Boyd's command against a live Brewers order: Chourio, Contreras, and Yelich can all punish mistakes. Boyd needs to locate his pitches and avoid falling behind in counts.
• Hoerner and Shaw stringing at-bats together: The five and six hitters have the potential to extend innings. If they can grind out at-bats against Gasser, the Cubs offense becomes much harder to contain.
• Bullpen management: A Labor Day afternoon game on the road means fatigue is a real factor. How long Boyd goes, and who the Cubs turn to in high-leverage spots, could decide this one.

Prediction

This is a divisional game between two clubs that know each other well, and those tend to be tight, grind-it-out affairs. Boyd is experienced enough to navigate Milwaukee's lineup through four or five innings, and the Cubs lineup — with Bregman, Suzuki, and Crow-Armstrong — has enough pop to get to Gasser. Call it a 4-3 Cubs win in a game that goes down to the final few outs. Catch it on Marquee Sports Network or listen on 104.3 The Score.