MLB · 5 months ago

Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees: Opening Series Pitcher Highlights

Sportsgrid Staff

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Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees: Opening Series Pitcher Highlights

Opening Day Pitching Matchup: Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Carlos Rodón of the New York Yankees

The Brewers and Yankees kick off their 2025 seasons at Yankee Stadium with two high-strikeout, high-variance arms toeing the rubber. Peralta makes the Opening Day start for Milwaukee, while Rodón gets the ball for New York in a year where the Yankees can’t afford another slow start — especially not from their rotation.

Peralta is as boom-or-bust as it gets:

Elite strikeout stuff
Command comes and goes
Can dominate in spurts or unravel in one inning

Rodón is trying to put a disastrous 2024 behind him. The Yankees need him to look like the pitcher they paid for, especially early, with Gerrit Cole on the shelf.

This won’t be the sexiest pitching matchup of Opening Day, but it might be one of the most telling.

Yankees Expectations Are Clear — World Series or Bust

Every year, the narrative is the same: The Yankees must win. There’s no grace period, no moral victories. And after a disappointing 2024, the pressure is even greater. Add in no Cole to start the year, and that spotlight burns even hotter.

Juan Soto (New York Mets) is gone.
Aaron Judge needs to rebound after a sluggish start last season (remember the Bronx boos in April?).
Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Cody Bellinger need to produce out of the gate.

This lineup still has punch, but it’s top-heavy and may struggle early, especially in cold weather.

Brewers: Lowered Expectations, Same Result?

The Brewers never seem to generate buzz, but they always compete. Even after losing Willy Adames (San Francisco Giants), and Devin Williams (Yankees), this team quietly builds a winning brand of baseball.

Peralta is now the undisputed ace.
Christian Yelich had a mini-renaissance last year.
Jackson Chourio could be this year’s breakout rookie star.
The lineup is patchy, but it’s functional.

They’re not flashy, but Milwaukee hangs around — especially in a division where 85–88 wins might get it done.

Weather, Stadium, and Style Point to a Betting Edge

Forecast: 48°F and breezy at first pitch.

Start time: 3:05 p.m. ET

Venue: Yankee Stadium, but cold air will likely suppress power

This is the classic early-season game where bats are still sleepy, and pitching holds a slight edge — especially when strikeout arms are on the mound. Both teams will be conservative with starters’ workloads, which likely means 5–6 innings max, followed by bullpens that can hold their own.

Betting Breakdown

Moneyline (Projected):

Yankees -140
Brewers +120

Over/Under: 7.5

Lean: Under 7.5
- Cold weather + high-strikeout pitchers
- Yankees’ offense often slow in March/April
- Milwaukee’s offense isn’t explosive, even in midseason form

Side Pick: Brewers +1.5 Run Line

In what projects as a 1–2 run game, grabbing the extra run with Peralta on the mound offers value.
Milwaukee’s style — defense, bullpen, and timely hitting — is built for these tight, low-scoring games.

Prop Watch:

Peralta Strikeouts Over 6.5: Yankees struck out 9.1 times per game last season, and Peralta is capable of 10+ on a good day.
Rodón Pitching Outs Under 17.5: Until we see consistency, don’t expect him to go deep.

Final Word: Don’t Overreact, But Do Pay Attention

The Yankees have no room for early stumbles. A clean Rodón outing and a solid start to Judge’s season will be considered a “must” by the New York media machine.
The Brewers are a sneaky underdog play — especially with Peralta keeping the game tight and the bullpen shortening things late.

Prediction: Yankees 3, Brewers 2

Best Bets: