Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs Best Bets and Prediction
The Washington Nationals (38-56) and the Chicago Cubs (43-50) will square off in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.
The Nationals come into this one in dead last in the NL East, 24 games back of the Atlanta Braves. The MLB standings in the NL Central show the Cubs in third, 8.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers.
As you consider your MLB picks, read ahead to get an idea of the Nationals vs Cubs best bets and a prediction for this contest.
Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs
Location of the game: Wrigley Field. Chicago, IL.
Date & Time: Tuesday, July 18. 8:05 pm ET.
How to watch: MLB.TV
Whether you are a casual bettor that likes to bet on entertainment or if you like to bet on sports more seriously, it is always important to look at the trends and recent scores for teams coming into a matchup.
For the Nationals, they have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games. They have played better this season on the road (23-24) than at home (15-32). That showed as they beat the Cubs 7-5 on the road in Monday’s opener.
Still, the Washington Nationals 2023 roster wasn’t really built with high expectations. Sitting with the second-worst record in the National League, they have proven to not be very competitive this season.
The Cubs have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games and are just 22-25 at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.
Coming out of the All-Star break, this was an important stretch for the Cubs with the MLB Trade Deadline approaching. As it stands now, they might be making more of a push to be sellers than buyers.
As you examine the Nationals vs Cubs best bets, it is important to keep an eye on the pitching matchup.
The Nationals will send 33-year-old southpaw Patrick Corbin to the mound Tuesday. In 19 games, he is 6-10 with a 4.89 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and he has struck out 74 in 108.2 innings.
The Cubs will counter with 31-year-old righty Jameson Taillon. He has been a bit disappointing this season, going just 3-6 with a 6.15 ERA in 15 games. He did have a fantastic outing in his last start, throwing eight scoreless innings against the Yankees.
The Nationals come into this one ranked just 22nd in scoring this season. They are averaging 4.19 runs per game (4.67 on the road).
Outfielder Lane Thomas has had a strong season for Washington. He is hitting .295/.343/.484 with a team-leading 14 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
For Chicago, they rank 13th in scoring out of all MLB teams, averaging 4.65 runs per game.
Looking at the Chicago Cubs injuries, they are still without Dansby Swanson (heel), but Cody Bellinger has been on fire as of late (3 HR in his last 15 at bats).
Before identifying the Nationals vs Cubs best bets, it is important to look at the MLB odds. Just like a bet on esports, you can bet on the moneyline, spread, and the total for this game.
The Nationals come into this one as the underdogs. They are +148 on the moneyline, and their spread sits at +1.5, with odds of -140.
As home favorites, the Cubs are -163 to win this one straight up. Their spread is -1.5, with odds of +120.
The over/under for total runs sits at nine. The under has odds of -105, while the over nine runs has odds of -115.
Identifying the Nationals vs Cubs best bets, it would be smart to take the Cubs to bounce back and win this one against the Nationals.
While Jameson Taillon has had a rough year, his last performance could be a sign he has figured something out. Unlike Patrick Corbin, Taillon has at least had decent seasons in recent years and is more apt to figure it out again.
Add in the fact that Chicago is playing at home, and taking them at -163 is the right play.
In our other pick, take the over on runs at -115. The Nationals rank 27th in the majors in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of 5.14 runs per game. The Cubs rank 15th, allowing 4.45 runs per game.
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