GAME: Chicago Cubs (39-39) at Washington Nationals (47-31)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, June 29 - 4:05 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Washington Nationals have used dominant starting pitching to claim the past two games against the visiting Chicago Cubs, but the Cubs hope ace Jon Lester will give them the upper hand in the finale of the four-game series Thursday. The Cubs need a strong outing from Lester after seeing their starters roughed up and knocked out relatively early in back-to-back losses.
The Nationals are 4-2 on a seven-game homestand that wraps up Thursday, and they hope Joe Ross can continue the trend of strong starting pitching set by Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg the past two nights. The Cubs’ roster upheaval continued Wednesday, as veteran catcher Miguel Montero was designated for assignment a day after allowing seven stolen bases and criticizing Jake Arrieta’s inability to hold runners in a postgame interview. Chicago called up catcher Victor Caratini, who grounded out as a pinch hitter in his major-league debut Wednesday. The Cubs hope another roster move is not imminent, as reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant left Wednesday’s game with a “mild to moderate” ankle sprain and will be unavailable Thursday, further decimating the lineup with starters Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist on the disabled list.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Chicago, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (5-4, 3.83 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Joe Ross (4-3, 5.40)
Lester has posted a season-high three straight quality starts, going 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA over that stretch. The 33-year-old pitched seven innings in a win at Miami on Saturday, allowing three runs and four hits in his second straight road win after going 0-2 in his first five road outings. Lester is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA in four career starts against the Nationals.
Ross has endured an up-and-down season, but he has put together two straight quality starts and is coming off one of his best outings of the year. The 24-year-old limited Cincinnati to one run and six hits over seven innings in a win Saturday. Ross is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy is 16-for-47 with three homers and 12 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak.
2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo’s home run Wednesday was his 27th in the month of June over the past four seasons, the most in the NL during June over that stretch.
3. Washington SS Trea Turner swiped his major league-leading 33rd stolen base Wednesday, giving him more stolen bases than 10 teams.
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Nationals 3
DATE/TIME: Thursday, June 29 - 4:05 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Washington Nationals have used dominant starting pitching to claim the past two games against the visiting Chicago Cubs, but the Cubs hope ace Jon Lester will give them the upper hand in the finale of the four-game series Thursday. The Cubs need a strong outing from Lester after seeing their starters roughed up and knocked out relatively early in back-to-back losses.
The Nationals are 4-2 on a seven-game homestand that wraps up Thursday, and they hope Joe Ross can continue the trend of strong starting pitching set by Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg the past two nights. The Cubs’ roster upheaval continued Wednesday, as veteran catcher Miguel Montero was designated for assignment a day after allowing seven stolen bases and criticizing Jake Arrieta’s inability to hold runners in a postgame interview. Chicago called up catcher Victor Caratini, who grounded out as a pinch hitter in his major-league debut Wednesday. The Cubs hope another roster move is not imminent, as reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant left Wednesday’s game with a “mild to moderate” ankle sprain and will be unavailable Thursday, further decimating the lineup with starters Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist on the disabled list.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Chicago, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (5-4, 3.83 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Joe Ross (4-3, 5.40)
Lester has posted a season-high three straight quality starts, going 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA over that stretch. The 33-year-old pitched seven innings in a win at Miami on Saturday, allowing three runs and four hits in his second straight road win after going 0-2 in his first five road outings. Lester is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA in four career starts against the Nationals.
Ross has endured an up-and-down season, but he has put together two straight quality starts and is coming off one of his best outings of the year. The 24-year-old limited Cincinnati to one run and six hits over seven innings in a win Saturday. Ross is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy is 16-for-47 with three homers and 12 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak.
2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo’s home run Wednesday was his 27th in the month of June over the past four seasons, the most in the NL during June over that stretch.
3. Washington SS Trea Turner swiped his major league-leading 33rd stolen base Wednesday, giving him more stolen bases than 10 teams.
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Nationals 3