10 articles · Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · May 18
Milwaukee opened the teams’ first 2026 meeting with a 9-3 win at Wrigley Field, seizing an early statement game in the NL Central race.
Shota Imanaga lasted 4 2/3 innings and surrendered eight runs on nine hits, including two long homers, as Craig Counsell blamed unusually poor command.
Imanaga said Milwaukee’s game plan "overcame my skills," echoing the Brewers’ recent edge over Chicago after eliminating the Cubs last October and winning the division the past three years.
Chicago’s pitching concerns extend beyond Monday: reliever Phil Maton, signed for two years and $14.5 million, has a 9.49 ERA after allowing more than one run in six of 14 appearances.
With their ace lost and a record home streak shattered, can the Cubs prevent a full-blown pitching collapse?
How have the Brewers repeatedly solved Shota Imanaga, turning the Cubs' star pitcher into a divisional liability?
Is Phil Maton's historic collapse as the highest-paid reliever a sign of a deeper flaw in the Cubs' roster construction?