The Chicago Cubs got out to a great start in Game 1 of the NLDS, with a leadoff home run from Michael Busch propelling them in front. That good feeling was short-lived. Here’s how the bottom of the first went for Milwaukee: 2B, 2B, 2B, groundout, BB, E4, K, 1B, BB, 1B, K. Those six runs put the game away, as their ace Freddy Peralta never looked back. Now the Brewers go into Game 2 hoping to keep the good times going, while the Cubs want to flip the script.
The Brewers open as -144 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cubs are priced as +118 underdogs, while the total is set at 7.5 runs. Let’s get into my top player props for Game 2 between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Best Brewers vs. Cubs player props
Shota Imanaga Over 1.5 Earned Runs Allowed (-144)
Going up against the Milwaukee Brewers has generally not gone very well for Shota Imanaga. The Cubs left-hander has given up 2+ earned runs in each of his three starts during the 2025 regular season. Against the Brew Crew in 2024, his lone start was a seven-run shelling. They have several batters with substantial career numbers against him, including William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Blake Perkins, and Andrew Vaughn.
Chicago is counting on Imanaga to stop the bleeding from Game 1, but history is against him. Don’t count on Shota for an exceptional start tonight.
Aaron Ashby Under 5.5 Outs Recorded (+145)
It’s expected that Aaron Ashby will be the opener for Quinn Priester in Game 2. Ashby has been a reliable multi-inning reliever who has been used as an opener once during the regular season, and got four clean outs in Game 1. But there is no chance that he flirts with two innings in this game.
For starters, Ashby went 2+ innings in 15 of his 43 regular-season appearances. Six of those instances were multi-inning saves or cleanup opportunities. It’s unusual for Ashby to go multiple innings in any leverage situation. Expect manager Pat Murphy to turn things over to Priester at the first sign of trouble, or at the beginning of the second inning. With Milwaukee’s leverage arms fresh, there’s no sense in letting Ashby stretch past his comfort zone.
Blake Perkins 2+ Total Bases (+216)
Blake Perkins’ at-bat in the first inning was key for Milwaukee. Milwaukee’s ninth-hole hitter is there for his defense, and whatever he contributes offensively is a bonus. Already up 3-1, Perkins’ prolonged battle with Cubs started Matthew Boyd ended in a crucial single that helped break the game open.
That single knocked Boyd out of the game, bringing in Michael Soroka, who would give up two more runs by the end of the inning. And I’m betting that Perkins will play another important role tonight.
In his brief career against Cubs starter Shota Imanaga, Perkins is 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run. Maybe he’s getting lucky, or perhaps he sees the ball better against Imanaga. It does track his career trend of hitting well from the right side and poorly from the left.
