Subscribe
Follow Us
The Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs will close out a four-game set on Thursday night. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Nationals-Cubs prediction and pick.
Chicago took the first two games of this series before Washington's 4-3 victory on Wednesday night. Chicago had won the first two games of this series by a combined seven runs and looked to be in control. The Nationals will now have a chance to salvage the series and leave Chicago with a split if they can pull off a win in the finale.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nationals-Cubs odds.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Cubs Odds
Washington Nationals +1.5 (-167)
Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+147)
Over 10 Runs (-119)
Under 10 Runs (-101)
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
The Washington Nationals haven't had the start to the season that they would've hoped for. Their 2021 campaign has been highlighted by a stretch of games at the beginning of May that saw them go 1-7 over an eight-game span. They did bounce back for a short period of time before dropping the first two games of this series. After a win in game three, the Nats desperately need to salvage this series. They are in the last place of a crowded National League East division and their playoff hopes are already dwindling.
For a team that's typically known for its pitching, it's actually the offensive output that has stood out for Washington this year. The Nationals have the sixth-best team batting average at .252. It's the middle infielders that have led the way as Trea Turner and Starlin Castro are putting together solid seasons at the plate. They get a nice matchup against a Chicago pitching staff that carries an ERA of 4.26 into this affair.
Washington will send out right-hander Joe Ross for the series finale. Ross will be looking to bounce back after a tough eight-run outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last start. He is 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA on the young season. The Nats right-hander has really struggled lately and has been provided very little run support in his last handful of starts.
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Chicago Cubs have been much better since their underwhelming 12-16 start to the season. The Cubs rebounded with a five-game winning streak and are now at .500 on the season with a record of 21-21. They have been a much better club at home this season, which bodes well in this matchup with the Nats. The Cubs are 15-9 and possess much better offensive numbers at Wrigley Field.
Chicago currently holds the 14th-best team batting average of .238. The Cubs have been hitting the long ball as sluggers Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez are all putting together solid seasons. Bryant is leading the way with 43 hits and 10 home runs. These three guys will have the luxury of going up against a mediocre Washington pitching staff that is 15th in the league in team-ERA.
Right-hander Trevor Williams is set to take the mound in the finale for Chicago. Williams has been going through an absolutely dreadful stretch over his last few starts. The right-hander has given up a staggering 11 runs on 15 hits over his past three starts coming in. The good news is that all of this has occurred on the road. Williams is 2-0 with a 3.15 ERA in his four starts at Wrigley Field.
Final Nationals-Cubs Prediction & Pick
In a matchup with two struggling pitchers, I'm rolling with the Chicago Cubs to be the better offensive team in the series finale. They have scored 16 runs over the first three games of the series and now get to face a Nats starter that gave up eight earned runs over four innings of work in his last start against Arizona. The Cubs have been a great team at home this year and the Nats are 8-12 on the road coming in.
FINAL PICK: Chicago Cubs ML (-122)
