National League powerhouses are set to close out a crucial three game set from the nation’s capital where the Washington Nationals will attempt to settle the score with the Chicago Cubs who swept them right out of Wrigley Field in early May.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Chicago Cubs just comes at you in waves. It doesn’t matter that Kyle Schwarber was lost only games into the 2016 season. It hasn’t mattered that starters have been nicked and bruised with annoying injuries, the team has still flat out dominated. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have built this team from the ground up, and have plugged integral pieces throughout the roster both on the farm and on the big club capable of stepping in and allowing the team not to skip a beat. Joe Maddon’s troops have won a big league best 43 games ($1013) and own a nine game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. They entered this series with the Nats playing .677 ball on the road ($599).
The Nationals rank out amongst good people with only the Cubs and Giants making more money for MLB bettors in the National League to date. Dusty Baker’s squad just bludgeoned the Phillies for three more units of profit over the weekend, and will welcome Chicago into Nationals Park for Monday’s opener 18 up and 11 down in front of the hometown faithful ($201). The team’s won seven of its last 10 overall, and no doubt had this series circled after getting embarrassed in the Windy City earlier this season.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Getting the unenviable task of matching wits with 10 game winner Stephen Strasburg will be veteran Jason Hammel. He enters his thirteenth start of the year fresh off only his second defeat after Atlanta got to him for eight hits and 3 ER over just 5.2 innings of work. The defeat dropped him to 7-2 for the season, but he still owns a solid 2.36 ERA and 7.9 K/9 average. Chicago has won nine of his 12 starts, but only stands 4-3 when he’s on the road where his ERA is up slightly at 2.57. Hammel has flat out owned the Nats in going 9-0 with a 3.16 ERA, but he gave up three earned and walked four through just five innings back on May 7.
When the “Strosborg” is healthy, nothing ever really stands in his way from dominating. Despite leaving his previous start with a calf strain, he went out and dominated the Phillies after getting roughed up early. After giving up four earned, he went on to strikeout 10 and retired the final 14 batters he faced to log his tenth win of the season – the first to get there to date. He’s undefeated on the year and has given up just 69 hits and struck out 110 over his 86 total innings of work. He didn’t get a chance to throw at the Cubs earlier this season, and will be looking to earn his first win against them in his fourth career try.
LIVE BETTING
After absorbing his first loss the season, all Jason Hammel did in his next turn was go into St. Louis and hold the league’s No. 2 ranked scoring offense to just one run and four hits through 7.1 innings of work.
The righty has shown a penchant for putting forth brilliant first half of campaigns before fizzling out in the second. However, this season is still very young and his swoon – if it occurs – doesn’t usually manifest until the middle of July.
He’ll no doubt be way up for this one opposing Strasburg, so backing him and the best team in baseball as underdogs through the first five innings is no doubt a value play.
QUICK PICK
The Cubs have owned the recent rivalry with the Nats in winning eight of the last 10 overall meetings. Chicago took three of four the last time it paid D.C. a visit, and I can’t help but get a little giddy about backing them here at a solid underdog price.
However, if the oddsmakers make Strasburg a -130 choice or less to win this one, I’ll have to side with him. He’s currently on a tear, has gone six plus innings in 12 of his 13 overall starts, and has the better of the two bullpens backing him up.
MLB Odds: Nationals 4, Cubs 2
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