The Washington Nationals (68-85) travel to face off against the Chicago Cubs (78-75) on Friday, September 20th. This game will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago and televised on MARQ. The Cubs are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Nationals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Cubs. First pitch is set for 1:20 CT.
Nationals vs. Cubs Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Nationals (+146)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 9 Runs
- The Nationals have scored 4 or more runs in 8 of their last 15 games.
- The Nationals have won 4 out of their last 5 games when scoring 4 or more runs.
- The Nationals have a recent away win against a strong team, beating the Pirates 8-6 on September 7th.
- The Nationals have a head-to-head win against the Cubs in their last series, scoring 6 runs on August 30th.
- The Nationals have a higher away win percentage (32 wins) compared to the Cubs’ home win percentage (40 wins).
Nationals vs Cubs
Chicago picked up a 7-6 win over the Nationals in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had a huge 5th inning, scoring two runs in the 1st and adding three more in the 2nd. As for the Nationals, they scored two runs in the 1st and added three in the 3rd. Washington made a late push, scoring three runs in the 6th and adding two more in the 7th, but the Cubs bullpen closed things out.
Javier Assad got the start for the Cubs, going five innings and giving up three runs. He finished with five strikeouts but issued one walk. Ethan Roberts got the win out of the bullpen, and Porter Hodge got the save. Patrick Corbin only went 4 1/3 innings for the Nationals, giving up five runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Chicago was led by Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson, as they were the only two Cubs hitters to have more than one hit. Suzuki did hit a home run and drove in two runs. Ian Happ also had a two-hit game for Chicago.
Washington has been struggling lately, losing four straight games, including the first game of this series vs. the Cubs. They are 23-26 in the NL East and trail the Phillies by 23 games.
Against the run line, the Nationals have been a solid bet, going 85-68 this season. Their games have averaged 8.9 runs per game, and their over/under record is 73-74. The over has hit in their last three games, and 61.4% of their games have had lower totals than today’s line of 9 runs.
Trevor Williams Gets The Start For The Nationals
Trevor Williams is looking to build off his last outing, where he picked up the win vs. the Braves. In that May 30th outing, he went 5 2/3 innings and gave up just one earned run. Looking at his overall numbers, Williams has made 11 starts and has a record of 5-0. His ERA for the season is an impressive 2.22, along with a WHIP of 1.08. Williams has made one quality start this year and is averaging 7.46 strikeouts per nine innings. For the season, he has allowed just two homers and is averaging 2.54 walks per nine innings.
Nationals Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Nationals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. This is a result of their 25th ranked home run total and a team-wide isolated power number of just .133. As a team, they are batting .243, which is 12th in the league, and are one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts.
Washington’s top two home run hitters are CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr., who also happen to be the team’s top two hitters in terms of RBIs. Abrams is batting .247 for the season and has gone 7/11 in his last three games. Garcia Jr. is hitting .280 for the season and has gone deep 16 times.
Chicago is 5-5 in their last 10 games and have lost three straight series at home. Their overall series record this season is 21-25-3. The Cubs are 41-37 as favorites and 37-38 as underdogs, entering today’s game against the Nationals.
On the run line, the Cubs have been a better bet on the road with a 46-32 record, compared to 28-47 at home. Their games have averaged 8.8 runs per game this season, resulting in a 73-75 over/under record. The over has hit in two straight games for Chicago, heading into today’s matchup with a total of 9 runs.
Jameson Taillon Gets The Start For The Cubs
Chicago is sending Jameson Taillon to the mound today, and he is coming off a start in which he gave up two earned runs in six innings of work. In that outing, he finished with a no-decision. Looking back over his last four starts, Taillon has finished with a no-decision in three of them. He has made 26 starts this year and has a record of 10-8 with a 3.54 ERA. Taillon has a total of 14 quality starts this year. Per nine innings, he is averaging 7.03 strikeouts and just 1.71 walks.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
Seiya Suzuki has been a great addition to the Cubs lineup this season, as he is batting .280 with 21 home runs, which is the 2nd most on the team. Suzuki is also on a 10-game hitting streak. Ian Happ has been the team’s top power threat this season, as he leads the team with 25 homers and 85 RBIs. Happ is also on a good run right now, as he has gone deep three times in his last seven games.
Chicago’s offense has been good at home this season, averaging 5.1 runs per game. Overall, they are 12th in the league at 4.6 runs per contest. The Cubs are batting .244 as a team, which is 11th in the league, and have the 7th best on-base percentage in the league.
Nationals vs Cubs Prediction
Our predicted score for this game is 6-5 in favor of the Nationals, and with the Nationals being the underdog at +146, we see this as a great opportunity to take advantage of the higher payout. If you’re looking for a pick, we would recommend taking the Nationals on the money line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Jameson Taillon finishing with five strikeouts compared to Trevor Williams with five as well. However, we have Williams going just 17th among starters in terms of innings pitched, while Taillon is down in 15th.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:September 20, 2024 Cubs, Nationals