Milwaukee Brewers News Roundup — September 4, 2026

The Brewers lost to the Cubs 2-1 on Thursday despite another strong pitching performance, with Pete Crow-Armstrong's two-run homer in the third inning proving decisive. Logan Henderson pitched seven innings with seven strikeouts and three hits allowed, but Milwaukee's offense managed only one run on an Andrew Vaughn solo homer despite creating several scoring opportunities. The series split with Chicago left the Brewers' division lead intact at eight games with 21 contests remaining.

The loss did not significantly alter Milwaukee's playoff positioning. The Brewers reduced their magic number to clinch the NL Central to 14 after winning two games in the series, while their magic number for a playoff spot stands at 9. More broadly, Milwaukee maintains a 3.5-game lead over the Dodgers and Braves for the top two National League seeds. The Brewers already own the head-to-head tiebreaker against Los Angeles after winning their season series 4-3, though the Braves currently lead in divisional record. With the Brewers playing 18 NL Central games in September compared to Atlanta's 12, the tiebreaker between the two teams could potentially be decided on the final day of the regular season.

The organization made a roster move by designating right-hander Joel Kuhnel for assignment, with the Giants claiming him off waivers. Meanwhile, top pitching prospect Josh Knoth made an encouraging Double-A debut on September 1 at age 21 following Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. In five innings, Knoth allowed four earned runs and three home runs but displayed strong velocity reaching 96 mph and settled in effectively after a rough first inning, retiring 13 of his final 16 batters.

Tonight's game against Cincinnati has been delayed due to rain, with first pitch now scheduled for 6 p.m. CT instead of 5:10 p.m. Shane Drohan will start for Milwaukee after winning both his previous matchups against the Reds this season, while Cincinnati counters with 24-year-old Rhett Lowder. The Brewers have adjusted their lineup, moving Brice Turang to sixth and inserting Sal Frelick as the leadoff hitter.