Washington Nationals vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions September 1st 2024

There is an NL matchup between the Cubs and Nationals at 1:35 PM ET on Sunday. This one is being played at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, and the Nationals are the slight money line underdog (+109). The money line odds have the Cubs at -128, and they are 2nd in the NL Central, while the Nationals are 4th in the NL East.

Chicago comes in with a record of 70-66 and they are currently on a five-game winning streak. Washington, on the other hand, has lost two straight and is 61-75 overall. MASN is carrying this one on TV, and the over/under line is at 9 runs. Jordan Wicks is starting for the Cubs, while the Nationals are going with Mitchell Parker.

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. Looking back at his last outing, Wicks went just 1 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and two walks. He didn’t allow a run in the outing. Wicks’ last outing before that came out of the bullpen, where he gave up one earned run in 3 1/3 innings of work. Opponents are batting .258 off Wicks this season.

For the season, 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, averaging 4.9 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .239, which is 13th in the league, and are also 17th in home runs.

Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ have been the Cubs’ top power threats this season, with Suzuki hitting 19 homers and Happ leading the team with 76 RBIs and 23 home runs. Over his last five games, Suzuki has gone 9/24 with a homer and four RBIs. Nico Hoerner comes into the game on a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .258 for the season.

Left-hander Mitchell Parker gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Cubs at home. Parker has made 24 starts this season and has a record of 7-8 with a 4.26 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Parker has a WHIP of 1.26 and has issued just 2.42 walks per nine innings compared to 7.74 strikeouts. Parker has turned in nine quality starts this year and is coming off a rough outing where he gave up nine earned runs in three innings of work. Before that, he had pitched well, allowing a total of two earned runs in his previous two outings.

Washington’s offense comes into today’s game averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and have a team slugging percentage of just .378. However, they are batting .245 as a team, which is 10th in the league. Luis Garcia Jr. is hitting .290 for the season and leads the team with 63 RBIs.

Over his last eight games, Jacob Young is hitting .407 with six runs scored. He also has a home run and four RBIs during this stretch. Dylan Crews and Andrés Chaparro have also each hit two home runs over their last eight and five games, respectively. Crews is 6/21 in his last five games, and Chaparro is 7/28 in his last eight games.

Cubs’ Resurgence in August

The Chicago Cubs are on fire as they push for a National League wild-card spot. After securing a 5-3 victory on Saturday, they’ve won five straight games and eight of their last nine, putting them in a strong position as they close in on the postseason. August was a standout month for the Cubs, finishing with an 18-8 record that has kept their playoff hopes very much alive.

Manager Craig Counsell is focused on keeping the momentum going as they head into the critical final stretch of the season.

Pitching Matchup

Sunday’s series finale will see left-hander Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.18 ERA) take the mound for the Cubs. Wicks, who has been on the injured list, was initially scheduled for a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa, but instead, he’ll be back in the majors to face the Nationals. His last start was cut short due to an oblique injury, but he’s ready to contribute as the Cubs aim for the sweep.

For the Washington Nationals, rookie lefty Mitchell Parker (7-8, 4.26 ERA) will be pitching. Parker is coming off a four-inning outing against the Yankees, where he allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five. The Cubs had initially planned to start Jameson Taillon (9-8, 3.85 ERA), but he’s expected to take the mound in Monday’s game against the Pirates instead.

Cubs’ Recent Performance

On Saturday, Javier Assad delivered six strong innings, while Nico Hoerner sparked the offense with two hits and two runs, helping the Cubs secure the win. The team’s ability to win tight games, especially on the road, has been crucial during this long road trip.

Nationals’ Struggles

The Nationals have faced execution issues, particularly in defense and on the basepaths. On Saturday, they committed two errors and made costly baserunning mistakes that hampered their comeback efforts. Despite having opportunities, they left eight runners on base, ultimately falling short in the ninth inning.

Manager Dave Martinez remains committed to an aggressive style of play, despite the recent struggles.

Roster Moves and Game Outlook

The Nationals are set to call up Darren Baker, a versatile infielder/outfielder who’s been performing well in Triple-A. Meanwhile, the Cubs have added right-hander Shawn Armstrong to their active roster after claiming him off waivers from the Cardinals.

As the Cubs look to complete the sweep and strengthen their wild-card bid, they’ll rely on their recent momentum and strong pitching. For the Nationals, avoiding a sweep and finding some consistency will be key as they look to finish the season on a positive note.

With both teams heading in different directions, Sunday’s game will be a critical test of the Cubs’ playoff aspirations and the Nationals’ resolve.

As the Cubs and Nationals face off, we have this as the 5th lowest-scoring game of the day, but with the line sitting at 9 runs, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for a straight-up pick, we like the Cubs to come out on top. Chicago’s offense has the 2nd highest team home run projection, and Jordan Wicks is our 2nd ranked starting pitcher in terms of strikeouts. On the other side, Mitchell Parker has the 11th lowest starting pitcher strikeout projection.