Jake Bauers homers, drives in 4 runs as the Brewers beat the Cubs 9-3 in series opener

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Bauers homered and drove in four runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Monday night in the first meeting this season between the longtime NL Central rivals.

Christian Yelich went deep for the second straight day as Milwaukee used a 13-hit attack to improve to 9-2 in its last 11 games. Andrew Vaughn had two hits and scored twice.

Milwaukee pulled within a half-game of Chicago for the division lead. The Brewers won the Central in 2025 for the third consecutive year and then eliminated the Cubs in a five-game NL Division Series.

Chicago lost for the seventh time in nine games. The Cubs had won 15 in a row at home for their longest win streak at Wrigley Field since an 18-game run in September 1935.

Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga (4-4) was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in his worst start of the season. He allowed a total of eight earned runs over his previous five starts combined.

Bauers hit an RBI single in Milwaukee's four-run fourth. He connected for his seventh homer in the fifth, a three-run drive to right that gave the Brewers an 8-0 lead.

Bauers is batting .438 (14 for 32) with two homers and eight RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.

Dansby Swanson hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who dropped two of three against the crosstown White Sox over the weekend. Michael Busch had two hits, including a run-scoring double.

Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat surrendered three runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings. Shane Drohan (2-1) replaced Sproat in the fifth and pitched 4 1/3 innings of four-hit ball for the win.

Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.12 ERA) starts on Tuesday night for Milwaukee, and fellow right-hander Ben Brown (1-1, 1.60 ERA) pitches for Chicago.

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Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after flying out to Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson, right, celebrates with Carson Kelly after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Chicago, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a one-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, of Japan, looks down after Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers hit a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers, left, is congratulated by Andrew Vaughn after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove loose bodies from his elbow, general manager Brandon Gomes said.

The Dodgers are optimistic that the procedure will allow Snell to return to the mound earlier than other treatment options, although the $182 million starter will still be sidelined for a significant amount of time. Gomes said Snell will have the same surgery as Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who has the same elbow problem, with the intention of returning this season.

“Hopefully it's the shorter timeline,” Gomes said. “That's the hope and the expectation right now. Obviously don't know 100% until we're in there, but that's what we expect.”

The injury-plagued World Series champions also signed veteran reliever Jonathan Hernández and optioned reliever Chayce McDermott back to the minors after one appearance, making their latest pitching shuffle Monday before they faced the NL West rival San Diego Padres for the first time this season.

Hernández opted out of his minor league contract with Philadelphia on Monday after making 13 appearances for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, going 1-0 with a 4.80 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 15 innings.

Hernández appeared in parts of five seasons for the Texas Rangers before bouncing through the minors with Seattle, Tampa Bay and the Phillies over the past two years. He hasn't pitched in the majors since making three appearances for the Mariners in August 2024.

McDermott made his Dodgers debut with one scoreless inning in their 10-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. The Dodgers acquired the right-hander in a trade with Baltimore last month.

The Dodgers are going through another year of significant injury problems for their pitching staff, forcing them to shuffle their rotation and bullpen on a weekly basis yet again. Los Angeles still has the majors' second-lowest ERA at 3.21 entering its trip to Petco Park.

“We've dealt with this in the past,” Gomes said. “It's the reason you try to go in with as much depth as you can, knowing that things can happen. You hope that they don't pile up at the same time, which has been happening as of late, but we'll keep navigating it and work through it like we have in the past.”

High-priced starters Snell and Tyler Glasnow are out of the Dodgers' rotation due to injuries.

Manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Glasnow's injured back recently “flared up,” preventing him from throwing off a mound yet. Snell has made one start for the Dodgers this season, while Glasnow left his seventh start of the year with his injury nearly two weeks ago.

Edwin Diaz, the majors' highest-paid reliever, is likely out for at least three months after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow after just seven appearances with his new team. The Dodgers then lost left-hander Jack Dreyer, their most-used reliever this season, to shoulder discomfort last weekend.

Roberts also said long-injured reliever Brusdar Graterol has had another setback in his recovery from a back injury. The hard-throwing Graterol, who hasn't pitched in the majors since the 2024 World Series, had been pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

“He'll be shut down for a while,” Roberts said.

Gomes said surgery on Graterol's lower back is a possibility.

The Dodgers' other injured pitchers with significant major league experience include right-handers Brock Stewart, Evan Phillips, Ben Casparius, Landon Knack, Gavin Stone, Bobby Miller and Jake Cousins.

Utilitymen Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman have also missed the entire season to date with injuries, but both are tentatively expected back within the next month.

The Dodgers transferred Casparius to the 60-day injured list to make room for Hernández on the 40-man roster.

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chayce McDermott throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)