Cubs and Nationals square off in series rubber match

Wed, Aug 10, 2022
MLB News (AP)

Washington Nationals (37-75, fifth in the NL East) vs. Chicago Cubs (44-65, third in the NL Central)

Chicago; Wednesday, 2:20 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: Josiah Gray (7-8, 4.92 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 122 strikeouts); Cubs: Justin Steele (4-7, 3.67 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 97 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cubs -173, Nationals +148; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals play on Wednesday with the three-game series tied 1-1.

Chicago is 23-34 in home games and 44-65 overall. Cubs hitters have a collective .317 on-base percentage, the seventh-ranked percentage in the NL.

Washington is 37-75 overall and 20-35 in road games. The Nationals have the seventh-ranked team batting average in the NL at .248.

The teams meet Wednesday for the third time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nico Hoerner is seventh on the Cubs with a .297 batting average, and has 14 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 17 walks and 36 RBI. Willson Contreras is 10-for-39 with two home runs and seven RBI over the past 10 games.

Luke Voit leads the Nationals with 15 home runs while slugging .431. Luis Garcia is 10-for-36 with a double, a home run and six RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 3-7, .229 batting average, 4.13 ERA, outscored by 13 runs

Nationals: 2-8, .256 batting average, 7.33 ERA, outscored by 35 runs

INJURIES: Cubs: Michael Hermosillo: 60-Day IL (quadricep), Steven Brault: 10-Day IL (covid), Kyle Hendricks: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Alec Mills: 15-Day IL (back), Jason Heyward: 10-Day IL (knee), Wade Miley: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ethan Roberts: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Adbert Alzolay: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Codi Heuer: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brad Wieck: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Nationals: MacKenzie Gore: 15-Day IL (elbow), Evan Lee: 60-Day IL (flexor), Erick Fedde: 15-Day IL (right shoulder), Tyler Clippard: 15-Day IL (groin), Stephen Strasburg: 60-Day IL (ribs), Tanner Rainey: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jackson Tetreault: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Carter Kieboom: 60-Day IL (forearm), Sean Doolittle: 60-Day IL (elbow), Will Harris: 60-Day IL (pectoral), Seth Romero: 60-Day IL (calf), Joe Ross: 60-Day IL (elbow)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.