Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Preview
Chicago is currently on a five-game winning streak, and they will look to keep that going on Sunday vs. the Nationals. Washington, meanwhile, is looking to end a two-game losing streak, and they are the slight underdog on the money line (+109). The money line odds have the Cubs at -128, and the over/under line is at 9 runs.
First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 1:35 PM ET, and MASN will be televising this NL matchup. Sunday’s Cubs starter is Jordan Wicks, while the Nationals are sending Mitchell Parker to the mound.
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Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs Trends and Key Stats
- The Cubs are 5-0 across their last five road games. They have gone 4-1 vs. the runline.
- In the Nationals’ five most recent home games, their record stands at 2-3 (SU) with 3-2 against the spread.
- The Cubs have a straight-up record of 8-2 in their last ten games as the favorite, with a runline record of 7-3.
- As the underdog, the Nationals have gone 4-6 vs. the runline and 5-5 straight-up.
Chicago picked up a 5-3 win over the Nationals in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs offense got off to a fast start, scoring four of their five runs in the 1st and adding an insurance run in the 5th. As for the Nationals, they scored their first run in the 2nd and added two more in the 4th.
Javier Assad started for the Cubs and picked up the win, going six innings and giving up three earned runs. He finished the game with just four strikeouts but induced 11 ground ball outs. Porter Hodge got the save. DJ Herz had a rough outing for the Nationals, taking the loss after going just 4 2/3 innings and giving up four earned runs.
Nico Hoerner had a two-hit game for the Cubs, scoring twice and driving in a run. Andrés Chaparro also had a two-hit game and hit the game’s only home run. Jose Tena went 3/3 with an RBI for Washington.
Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
With an overall record of 70-66, the Cubs are 10 games behind the Brewers for the NL Central lead. The Cubs have been playing well lately, as they have won five straight games, and they are 8-2 over their last 10. Chicago has gone 20-26 against other teams in the NL Central this year.
Chicago has won four straight series, and their overall series record is 19-21-3 this year. The Cubs have been really good as the road favorite this year, going 13-10, and they have won five straight games as the road favorite. As for their overall record at home, the Cubs are 36-29.
The Cubs have been a solid run line team this season, going 67-69. They have been especially good on the road, where they are 42-29 against the run line. They have been a better bet as an underdog, going 46-22 against the run line in those games. Their average run differential this season is +0.3 runs per game.
The Cubs have played in 98 games with over/under lines set at less than 9 runs this season, which is 72.1% of their games. Their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 62-69 overall. When the over/under line is set at 9 runs, they have gone 5-12-3 in those games. Today’s over/under line is set at 9 runs.
Left-hander Jordan Wicks gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Nationals on the road. He has made six starts this season and has a record of 1-2 with an ERA of 4.18. Wicks’ WHIP for the season is currently 1.46. In his last outing, he went just 1 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and two walks. Wicks didn’t allow a run in that appearance. Before that, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight outings. Wicks has a total of one quality start this year.
Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are the Cubs’ top home run hitters this season, with Suzuki being 2nd on the team with 19 homers, and Happ leading the team with 23 long balls. Happ also leads the team in RBIs, with 76. Suzuki is 3rd on the team in RBIs, at 64. Suzuki has a batting average of .274 this season, while Happ comes in at just .241.
As a team, the Cubs are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.9 runs per game. Chicago’s team batting average is just .239, and they are 17th in the league in home runs.
Washington is 61-75 overall, and they are 19 games behind the Phillies in the NL East. The Nationals are in 4th place in the division and have gone 18-20 in divisional games this year. The Nationals have dropped two straight games, and they are looking to avoid losing three straight for the first time since late July.
At home, the Nationals are 32-36 this year, and they are 29-39 on the road. So far, Washington has an overall series record of 18-22-3. As the underdog, the Nationals are 49-64 this year and 12-11 when favored.
Washington has been a solid bet on the run line this season, with a 77-59 record. The Nationals have been particularly good on the road, going 40-28 ATS. They have been a good bet as an underdog, going 66-47 ATS. Their average run margin is -0.5 runs per game, and they have a run line record of 37-31 at home.
The Washington Nationals are playing at home against the Chicago Cubs today. The over/under line for the game is set at 9 runs, which is right around their season average of 8.9 runs per game. The Nationals’ over/under record for the season is 65-66, and when the line has been set at 9 runs, their record is 13-18-3. So far this season, 16.2% of their games have had over/under lines set at 9 runs.
Washington is sending left-hander Mitchell Parker to the mound today vs. the Cubs. He has made 24 starts this season and has a record of 7-8 with a 4.26 ERA. Parker’s WHIP for the season is 1.26, and he has turned in nine quality starts. In his last outing, Parker took the loss, giving up two earned runs in four innings of work vs. the Yankees. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Parker’s ERA on the road is 11.09 compared to 3.69 at home.
Washington’s offense has been one of the league’s worst home run-hitting teams this season, as they are just 27th in the league in home runs. Overall, they are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. The Nationals have been pretty consistent in terms of runs scored, as they are also 21st in the league in runs scored on the road.
Looking at the team’s top hitters, Luis Garcia Jr. comes into the game with a team-high 63 RBIs and is batting .290 overall. He is also 2nd on the team with 15 homers. CJ Abrams has 18 homers this season, but is batting just .243. Over his last eight games, Jacob Young is hitting .407, and José Tena has gone 10/31 in his last eight games.
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Nationals game is to take the Nationals on the money line at +109. We actually have the Nationals winning this one by a final score of 6-5.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Jordan Wicks finishing with seven strikeouts, which is the second-highest among all starters today. As for Mitchell Parker, he is projected to finish with five strikeouts, which is 11th among starters.
Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Betting Tips
- We like the Nationals on the moneyline (+109)
- On the run line we like Nationals (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 11 runs, we like the over
Washington Nationals Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Trevor Williams | Out | Hip Flexor |
| Derek Law | Out | Elbow |
| Alex Call | Out | Foot/Ankle |
| Mason Thompson | Out | Elbow |
| Josiah Gray | Out | Elbow |
| Joan Adon | Out | Shoulder/Biceps |
| Cade Cavalli | Out | Elbow |
Chicago Cubs Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jorge López | Probable | Groin |
| Yency Almonte | Out | Shoulder |
| Colten Brewer | Out | Hand |
| Adbert Alzolay | Out | Forearm |
| Julian Merryweather | Out | Knee |
| Ethan Roberts | Questionable | Ankle |
| Ben Brown | Out | Neck |
| Hayden Wesneski | Out | Forearm |
| Luke Little | Out | Shoulder |
| Jordan Wicks | Probable | Oblique |
