The Chicago Cubs (69-66) travel to face off against the Washington Nationals (61-74) on Saturday, August 31st. This game will be played at Nationals Park in Washington and televised on MLBN. The Cubs are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Nationals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Cubs. First pitch is set for 3:05 CT.

Cubs vs. Nationals Betting Prediction

• Money Line Prediction: Nationals (+109)
• Over/Under Prediction: Over 9 Runs

• The Nationals have a 5-2 record at home in their last 7 home games.
• The Nationals have scored an average of 5.4 runs per game over their last 15 games.
• The Nationals have won 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.
• The Cubs have a 3-7 record in their last 10 road games.
• The Nationals have a 3-1 record in their last 4 home games against the Cubs.

Cubs vs Nationals

It was a wild game in the most recent game of this Cubs vs Nationals series. Chicago went into the matchup as -160 favorites and squeaked out a 7-6 win. The Cubs had a huge 2nd inning, scoring seven of their nine runs. As for the Nationals, they scored their first two runs in the 1st and could only muster one more run in the 3rd.

Washington had a chance to win the game in the 9th, scoring three runs and leaving the tying run at third base. Shota Imanaga got the win for the Cubs out of the bullpen, while Keegan Thompson got the save. Jake Irvin had a rough outing for the Nationals, taking the loss.

Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, and Michael Busch each had two RBIs for the Cubs’ offense. Bellinger and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had two hits and scored two runs. Dylan Crews had a two-run homer for the Nationals.

Chicago has won four straight games and is 69-66 overall this season. They are 10 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and are in 2nd place. The Cubs have an average run differential of +0.3 runs per game and a 66-69 run line record. Their over/under record is 62-68, and their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game.

On the run line, the Cubs have been better as underdogs with a 46-22 record, but as favorites, they are 20-47. Their run line record on the road is 41-29, while at home, it’s 25-40. Chicago has won four straight series and has an overall series record of 19-21-3. Their over streak is currently at four games heading into today’s matchup with the Nationals.

Javier Assad Gets The Start For The Cubs

Javier Assad gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Nationals on the road. So far this season, he has made 24 starts and has a record of 6-4 with an ERA of 3.15. Looking at his overall numbers, Assad has a WHIP of 1.34 and opponents are batting .240 this season. In his 24 starts, he has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 7.65 strikeouts per nine innings. Assad’s last outing came on August 25th, where he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in seven innings of work.

Cubs Offense Breakdown

As a team, the Cubs are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 14th in the MLB this season. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 4.9 runs per game. Chicago’s offense is batting a collective .239, which is 14th in the league, and they are also 15th in home runs. So far, they have been a patient team at the plate, as they are 6th in walks.

Over his last five games, Ian Happ has gone 11/22 with three runs scored and four RBIs. For the season, he is batting .243 with a team-high 23 homers. Happ’s 75 RBIs also lead the Cubs. Nico Hoerner comes into the game on a six-game hitting streak and is batting .256 for the season.

Washington is 61-74 overall and 18 games behind the Phillies in the NL East. Their series record is 18-22-3, and they are currently losing their series vs. the Cubs. The Nationals have a 77-58 run line record for the season and have covered the run line in three straight games.

As underdogs, Washington is 49-63 vs. the run line and 66-46 as underdogs straight up. Their games have averaged 8.9 runs per game, and the O/U record is 65-65. When the total is set at 9, their O/U record is 13-17-3.

DJ Herz Gets The Start For The Nationals

Washington is sending DJ Herz to the mound today vs. the Cubs, and he will be looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start vs. the Braves, Herz went five innings, didn’t give up a run, and gave up one hit. Before that outing, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight starts. Herz’s ERA for the season is 3.84, along with a record of 2-6. Opposing batters are hitting .228 off Herz this season, and he has allowed a total of 10 home runs.

Nationals Offense Breakdown

Washington’s offense has been pretty average this season, as they are 21st in runs per game at 4.2. They have been a bit better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .245, which is 11th in the league, and are also near the top of the league in terms of avoiding strikeouts.

Luis Garcia Jr. has been the Nationals’ most consistent hitter this season, batting .292 with a team-high 63 RBIs. He has also gone deep 15 times, which is the 2nd most on the team. CJ Abrams has gone deep 18 times this season but is batting just .243. Over his last four games, Dylan Crews has two homers and is 5/16.

Cubs vs Nationals Prediction

Getting the Nationals at +109 is a great value pick, as we have them taking this one 6-5. With the over/under sitting at 9 runs, there is some room to take the over, but we would stick with the Nationals on the money line.

Looking at some of the starting pitcher projections, we have Javier Assad going six innings and finishing with six strikeouts. As for the Nationals starter, DJ Herz, we have him going seven innings and finishing with seven K’s.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.