Cubs @ Nationals – Series Preview (September 6-9): TV and Game Info, Pitching Matchups, Insights
The Cubs avoided a disastrous sweep in Milwaukee by winning the final game of the series Wednesday night. With the win, Chicago maintains a four-game lead in the Central and pushes to a 4-3 record on what will be an 11-game road trip. They finish with a four-game series against the Nats in DC.
2018 has been a massive disappointment for the Nationals, who have fallen out of the playoff race recently as the Brewers and Cardinals each won series against them this week. They are still a dangerous team, as Max Scherzer remains in the starting rotation and Bryce Harper lurks in the heart of the lineup, and could feel the desire to play spoiler.
The Achilles heel for Washington has been the relief corps since injuries and trades have badly weakened what had been a strong unit. The starting rotation has also had issues with injuries to Stephen Strasburg and the trade of Gio Gonzalez.
The Cubs played sloppy, even ugly, baseball in their two losses to the Brewers. The last game of the series was better, but it needs to get tightened up in the nation’s capital. Splitting this series would assure a winning road trip, a very acceptable outcome for such a long trek around the country.
Once the trip ends, 16 of the final 19 games of the season will be played Chicago. The Cubs should be able to make hay with that down stretch run, as just three weeks to decide everything.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Thursday, September 6 at 6:05 pm CT on MLB Network (out of market) and NBC Sports Chicago
- Friday, September 7 at 6:05 pm CT on NBC Sports Chicago
- Saturday, September 8 at 6:05 pm CT on MLB Network (out of market) and WGN
- Sunday, September 9 at 12:35 pm CT on TBS
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 9/6 | Kyle Hendricks | 28 | R | 3.77 | 11-10 | 3.95 | 3.38 |
| Stephen Strasburg | 30 | R | 4.09 | 7-7 | 3.54 | 4.37 | |
| 9/7 | Jon Lester | 34 | L | 3.53 | 15-5 | 4.63 | 2.25 |
| Joe Ross | 25 | R | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 9/8 | Cole Hamels | 34 | L | 3.67 | 9-9 | 4.36 | 2.91 |
| Max Scherzer | 34 | R | 2.28 | 16-6 | 2.73 | 5.65 | |
| 9/9 | Mike Montgomery | 29 | L | 3.85 | 4-5 | 3.86 | 2.00 |
| Erick Fedde | 25 | R | 6.00 | 1-3 | 4.94 | 2.36 |
What to Watch For
- Ross is making his first appearance of the season after Tommy John surgery in 2017.
- Ben Zobrist had been cooling off but he had three hits on Wednesday night to heat back up a bit.
- Kris Bryant has yet to display any power since returning from his shoulder injury. Maybe that fact will change this weekend.
- Kyle Hendricks has only allowed four runs in his last three starts over 20 innings pitched.