The Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers meet on August 13, 2025, at American Family Field in a divisional matchup that pits a rebuilding club against one of Major League Baseball’s hottest and most complete teams, with the Brewers riding a nine-game win streak and holding the league’s best record while the Pirates sit at 51–69 and firmly out of the playoff picture. Milwaukee enters with all the momentum, boasting a 3.63 team ERA (fourth in MLB), a deep, well-structured bullpen, and an offense that ranks top five in runs scored and second in stolen bases, giving them multiple ways to pressure opponents from the first inning to the last. The starting pitching matchup favors the Brewers on paper, with Brandon Woodruff (4–0, 2.29 ERA) showcasing dominant command and a well-balanced arsenal since returning from injury, while Pittsburgh counters with Mitch Keller (5–10, 3.86 ERA), a capable arm who has suffered from poor run support and defensive lapses behind him. The Pirates’ best hope lies in getting early traffic on the bases, manufacturing runs through small ball, and keeping the game close enough to force high-leverage bullpen decisions for Milwaukee, but they’ll need to be nearly flawless against a team that rarely beats itself. Offensively, Pittsburgh’s struggles are evident—they sit near the bottom of the league in OPS, home runs, and slugging percentage—meaning they’ll have to capitalize on any mistakes from Woodruff, which have been few and far between.

The Brewers’ approach will be to let Woodruff work deep, use their aggressive base running to create extra bases against Keller and the Pirates’ defense, and apply constant offensive pressure through both contact hitting and timely power from Christian Yelich, Isaac Collins, and others. ATS trends also paint a picture of disparity: the Brewers are slightly above .500 against the run line overall and excel at home, while the Pirates are 26–30 ATS on the road, struggling to cover in hostile parks. The total is set at a modest 7.5 runs, reflecting confidence in both starting pitchers to limit early scoring, but given Milwaukee’s balanced attack, one big inning could break the game open and push it over. If Keller can’t navigate Milwaukee’s first three hitters cleanly, the Brewers are well-positioned to build an early lead and lean on their bullpen to finish the job. Conversely, if Pittsburgh can keep it tight into the late innings, the variance of a single swing—perhaps from Ke’Bryan Hayes or Bryan Reynolds—could flip the outcome, though the odds heavily favor Milwaukee’s superior depth, execution, and ability to convert scoring chances. In all, this game projects as another showcase of the Brewers’ dominance unless the Pirates can manufacture an upset through pristine pitching, airtight defense, and rare opportunistic offense, making it a classic battle between an NL Central powerhouse and a club still searching for consistent identity.