Cubs, streaking Baez set for matchup against Nationals
Chicago Cubs (26-16, first in the NL Central) vs. Washington Nationals (18-26, fourth in the NL East)
Washington; Saturday, 7:15 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Jon Lester (3-1, 1.16 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 39 strikeouts) Nationals: Stephen Strasburg (3-3, 3.63 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 75 strikeouts)
LINE: Nationals favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago’s Baez puts 14-game hit streak on the line against Nationals.
The Nationals are 9-13 on their home turf. Washington has slugged .402 this season. Trea Turner leads the team with a mark of .737.
The Cubs are 11-10 on the road. The Chicago offense has compiled a .259 batting average as a team this season, good for sixth in the league. Javier Baez leads the team with a mark of .326. The Cubs won the last meeting 14-6. Cole Hamels earned his fourth victory and Kris Bryant went 4-for-6 with three home runs and five RBIs for Chicago. Max Scherzer took his fifth loss for Washington.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adam Eaton leads the Nationals with 47 hits and is batting .270. Anthony Rendon is 10-for-38 with five doubles, a home run and five RBIs over the last 10 games for Washington.
Baez leads the Cubs with 27 extra base hits and is slugging .611. Bryant has 16 hits and is batting .000 over the last 10 games for Chicago.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nationals: 4-6, .223 batting average, 5.23 ERA, outscored by 19 runs
Cubs: 7-3, .258 batting average, 2.56 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs
Nationals Injuries: Austen Williams: 10-day IL (shoulder), Tony Sipp: 10-day IL (oblique), Anibal Sanchez: 10-day IL (hamstring), Trevor Rosenthal: 10-day IL (infection), Koda Glover: 60-day IL (forearm), Andrew Stevenson: 10-day IL (back), Victor Robles: day-to-day (left wrist), Ryan Zimmerman: 10-day IL (foot), Matt Adams: 10-day IL (shoulder).
Cubs Injuries: Allen Webster: 10-day IL (hand), Pedro Strop: 10-day IL (hamstring), Brandon Morrow: 60-day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-day IL (elbow), Tony Barnette: 60-day IL (shoulder).
