Aug 18, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) makes it past Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cubs' Jed Hoyer Makes Brutally Honest Brewers Admission As Division Gap Widens

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 8:37 AM ET

Every season, the Milwaukee Brewers' ownership of the Chicago Cubs gets a little more satisfying for one side, a little more exasperating for the other.

The Cubs looked to have control of the National League Central early in the year, building a lead as large as 6 1/2 games and pacing the sport in offensive statistics three months into the season. But thanks to the Brewers' historic hot streak, it's been a bloodbath in July and August, with Milwaukee holding a nine-game lead in the standings entering the teams' doubleheader on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Brewers waltzed into Wrigley Field and outclassed the Cubs in front of their home fans, taking them down 7-0. They've now won 30 of their last 35 games, and the division race looks like a mere formality.

Cubs POBO Jed Hoyer praises Brewers' hot streak

With the Cubs trying to stay out of complete free-fall mode, having lost 9 of their last 15 games, Chicago's president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was nothing but complimentary of his surging division rivals on Monday.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a streak like this,” Hoyer said, per Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. “I mean, give them a lot of credit. I wish we were on that kind of streak. We’re not. They are.”

After Hoyer made his comments, the Brewers illustrated what he was saying with a surgical takedown of the Cubs. Freddy Peralta completely shut down the once-vaunted Chicago offense. The Milwaukee lineup worked good at-bats, with damage coming from Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin. It's exactly how the Brewers have been beating everyone -- playing a cleaner brand of baseball than their opponents.

There's really nothing the Cubs can say about what the Brewers have done that will placate their fans. Milwaukee watched Chicago take manager Craig Counsell from them before last season, and the gap has only grown wider ever since.

Chicago may be the bigger market, but the Brewers are the alpha dogs of this division.

The Brewers are in the middle of a stretch of 19 games in 18 days, so laughers like Monday's win over the Cubs are always welcome. But they'll quickly try to shift their attention to Tuesday's doubleheader, and if they can somehow sweep that, they just might break their division rivals' spirits before August is out.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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