MILWAUKEE — The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are largely even teams, especially on offense. The Brewers have an edge in on-base percentage that’s driven by their high batting average. But the teams are nearly even in strikeout and walk rate — both teams are among the best at making contact and not chasing out of the zone.

The big difference is that Chicago is very aggressive in the zone. The Cubs swing at pitches in the zone at a 66.2 percent rate (seventh in baseball) and the Brewers are last at 62 percent. That aggressiveness has led to significantly more power output by the Cubs, who hit 57 more homers than the Brewers and had a big edge in isolated power (.181 to .145). The Cubs are among the best in baseball in both categories, and the Brewers are a bottom-third team.

“This is why you try to build teams that are good at a lot of things,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I don’t know if we’re going to hit a lot of home runs, so you want to be good at a lot of things offensively. Obviously, we have hit home runs. But you want to be able to count on a number of things, so whichever one pops up, you’re just good at a lot of them.”

In theory, if the Cubs are going to win this series, they’re going to have to lean into that power advantage. Counsell obviously wants to get more slug, but in general, he just wants more runners in scoring position.

“We just gotta put more pressure on offensively,” he said. “The home runs are great. We had six or seven base runners (on Saturday). That’s not a lot. But yeah, that’d be great. Getting guys on base and slug? Love it.”

The Cubs had six hits (three of them solo home runs) and three walks Saturday. They went just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. So it wasn’t as if they put a lot of pressure on Milwaukee in the first game.

That has to change. The Cubs need to find ways to get men on and then leverage their power advantage in those moments. So far this postseason, they have six homers, all of them of the solo variety. In the postseason, the pitching is better — the best teams are leaning on their best pitchers. That means more strikeouts and fewer walks. Power is often what sets teams apart. The Cubs won that battle Saturday, but little else. And of course, all that matters is the final score.

“They did the thing they’re good at (Saturday),” Counsell said. “That won a game for them. There’s probably been zero games in the history of the postseason where a team outhomered the other team three to zero and lost. Until (Saturday).”

Fresh bullpen

Brad Keller high-fives Nico Hoerner after saving Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

There are very few silver linings to take away from Game 1. One small victory is that Counsell got to rest a bullpen that was taxed heavily in the wild-card round. Particularly righties Daniel Palencia, Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller.

“The three right-handers, I think, needed the break,” Counsell said. “I’m glad they got it.”

Keller threw two of three games, tossing 37 pitches Thursday. Kittredge worked all three games. Palencia worked games 1 and 3, but went more than one inning in both and did two up-downs. With two off days surrounding Game 1, that means three full days of rest for the trio of righties as well as lefties Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz. That’s something that hasn’t happened for all five since the All-Star break.

Counsell is going to need his bullpen arms to eat innings. Game 2 starter Shota Imanaga will have to go at least four innings, but he might be pushed to do more. But with another off day Tuesday, perhaps Counsell is aggressive with the hook.

Attacking the Brewers’ lineup with relievers won’t be as straightforward as it was with the San Diego Padres, though. Sending righties to face Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, then a southpaw for the trio of lefties near the bottom of the order, was an easy call. Milwaukee’s lineup is just different. And better.

“They’re balanced at the bottom,” Counsell said. “And we matched well (with the Padres) with two of our starters being left-handed. The handedness of the pitchers is kind of neutral with this team.”

However they’re deployed, expect the most important arms in the Cubs bullpen to be used Monday. That they’re fresh could be crucial for a Cubs team that needs to take Game 2 to feel confident heading back to Wrigley Field.

Kyle Tucker sticking at DH

While Jackson Chourio tested his hamstring Saturday at American Family Field, Kyle Tucker wasn’t running around trying to prep his once-injured left calf to play the field.

“Tucker’s DH-ing,” Counsell said. “It could change. Right now, I don’t see any reason for it to change.”

Counsell has been happy with the performance of Seiya Suzuki in right field. During the Padres series, Counsell said he felt Suzuki was underrated as an outfielder, but last year with Cody Bellinger and then this year with Tucker, the team has had better outfielders to play in front of him. But despite some high-profile mistakes, ones where he just dropped the ball, Suzuki has always been a capable defender.

“He’s playing well, I think he feels good out there,” Counsell said. “I think he knows this is his job now.”

Don’t expect Counsell to force Tucker into the field. There’s little reason to push it, and the team is happy with both the lineup and the defensive alignment as it is.

(Top photo of Michael Busch: John Fisher / Getty Images)