Brewers–Cubs rivalry

Brewers–Cubs rivalry
LocationMidwestern United States
Teams
  • Milwaukee Brewers
  • Chicago Cubs
First meetingJune 13, 1997
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Brewers 6, Cubs 4
Latest meetingJune 17, 2025
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Cubs 5, Brewers 3
Next meetingJune 18, 2025
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
StadiumsBrewers: American Family Field
Cubs: Wrigley Field
Statistics
Meetings total446
Regular season seriesBrewers, 225–222 (.503)
Largest victory
  • Brewers, 18–1 (August 2, 2010)
  • Cubs, 19–5 (April 30, 2008)
Longest win streak
  • Brewers, 11 (April 24–September 18, 2021)
  • Cubs, 9 (July 30–September 22, 2015)
Current win streakCubs, 1
50km
31miles
Cubs
Brewers
Locations of the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs

The Brewers–Cubs rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. Both clubs are members of MLB's National League (NL) Central Division. The rivalry is also sometimes known as the I-94 Rivalry, because the two teams' ballparks are located only 83 miles (134 km) from each other off Interstate 94 (I-94).

The Brewers and Cubs have been playing each other in spring training Cactus League games since the Brewers franchise began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. However, the rivalry did not begin until 1998, when the Brewers moved from the American League (AL) Central Division to the National League Central. Until then, the Brewers had a rivalry with Chicago's AL team, the White Sox.

The Brewers–Cubs rivalry has been ranked among the best and most competitive in baseball. Conversely, the notion of a rivalry continues to be questioned by Cubs players, who cite the omnipresence of Cubs fans in attendance at games played against the Brewers in Milwaukee. At least 16% of the lift in Milwaukee attendance for Cubs games is attributed to Cubs fans. This is despite the Brewers' efforts to restrict Cubs fans' ability to purchase tickets.

In 2023, Craig Counsell left the Brewers to become the Cubs manager. He admitted he may have underestimated the rivalry part of Brewers fans feeling like he just went to “the other side.”

While the teams have never met in the postseason, they did play a Game 163 in 2018 to determine the NL Central division championship, which the Brewers won 3–1 at Wrigley Field.