Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Betting Picks & Predictions
With the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs meeting for game three of their weekend series, the Cubs have already won the first two games and are looking to clinch the
Game outlook
With the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs meeting for game three of their weekend series, the Cubs have already won the first two games and are looking to clinch the series on Saturday. The Cubs are still fighting for a playoff spot with a 6.5 game gap in the wild card race. The first pitch is set for 2:20 P.M. EST with MacKenzie Gore starting for the Nationals and Kyle Hendricks taking the mound for the Cubs. Chicago is the betting favorite, opening at -136 with the current line at Chicago -132.
Betting Odds
Moneyline: Nationals +120 | Cubs -132
Spread: Nationals +1.5 (-175) | Cubs -1.5 (+155)
Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Chicago will win straight-up is 57%.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals have had a disappointing season, currently sitting with a 68-86 overall record and having been eliminated from playoff contention for some time. They are over 20 games back from the divisional lead and 17 games away from the wild card with less than 10 games remaining in the season. The team has lost five consecutive games, including a 3-1 loss to the Cubs on Friday where they only managed five hits. MacKenzie Gore will start for the Nationals on Saturday with a 9-12 record and a 4.17 ERA. Washington ranks 15th in the country in hitting with a .243 average and has scored the eighth fewest amount of runs. They have struggled on the road this season, with a 3-9 record when Gore has started away games. The Nationals have hit the second fewest home runs in the league and have the fourth fewest strikeouts. They are currently ranked 23rd in offense and 26th in defense, with an overall power ranking of 29.