Chicago Cubs @ Washington Nationals – Series Preview (August 30-September 1): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (68-66) just completed a big three-game sweep of the Pirates to move two above the .500 mark. Chicago exploded for an almost unbelievable 41 runs in Pittsburgh, including 14 on Wednesday as they rallied back from a 10-3 7th inning deficit to win. They look to finish off a very strong month and possibly even stronger road trip with a weekend set against the Nationals starting Friday.
Washington (61-73) is still rebuilding from a fire sale after they won the 2019 World Series and, although they are better than they were the past couple of seasons, they still aren’t in playoff contention. The Nats are starting to promote some of their most prized prospects with outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews making their debuts in the last two months.
Dave Martinez‘s squad could really use those highly touted bats because their offense has struggled with a .690 team OPS, which ranks 22nd in baseball. Power has also been sorely lacking in DC this season with 112 home runs, a number only ahead of the historically bad White Sox. The middle infield combination of shortstop CJ Abrams and second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. has been good, combining for 33 homers and solid defense.
Washington’s pitching staff is in a similar position to their lineup with a 4.24 team ERA that is also 22nd best in MLB. Jake Irvin is probably their best starter thanks to a 3.80 ERA in 154 innings. Former Cubs farmhand DJ Herz, acquired in exchange for Jeimer Candelario last summer, has been decent in limited work with a 3.84 ERA in 65 innings and will face his former employers on Saturday.
The Cubs’ playoff chances are still pretty dim despite their hot play of late, but every time they win they keep the hope alive. Even though the Nationals are playing winning baseball lately they are definitely a beatable opponent. At the very least, the Cubs are making it much more fun to watch them down the stretch.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, August 30 at 5:45pm CT on Marquee.
- Saturday, August 31 at 3:10pm CT on MLB Network (out of market only) and Marquee.
- Sunday, September 1 at 12:35pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 8/30 | Shōta Imanaga | 30 | L | 3.08 | 10-3 | 3.75 | 6.36 |
| Jake Irvin | 27 | R | 3.80 | 9-10 | 4.37 | 3.42 | |
| 8/31 | Javier Assad | 27 | R | 3.15 | 6-4 | 4.50 | 2.00 |
| DJ Herz | 23 | L | 3.84 | 2–6 | 3.86 | 3.46 | |
| 9/1 | Jameson Taillon | 32 | R | 3.85 | 9-8 | 4.15 | 4.00 |
| Mitchell Parker | 24 | L | 4.26 | 7-8 | 4.02 | 3.21 |
What to Watch For
- Miguel Amaya is just unconscious right now at the plate with 13 hits in his last 22 at-bats.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong is right on his heels with 13 hits in his last 29 at-bats to rejuvenate the bottom of the order.
- Seiya Suzuki reached base 10 times in the series against the Pirates.
- Chicago is 16-8 in August with two more games left in the month.