Chicago Cubs @ Washington Nationals – Series Preview (June 3-5): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (37-22) won their sixth consecutive series, taking two of three against the Reds at Wrigley this weekend as they finish a successful stretch against teams with losing records. They put up a 14-4 record in those 18 games and are 15 over .500 for the first time since 2018.
The North Siders relied on their pitching during home games against the Rockies and Reds, allowing just 14 runs across six contests. The bullpen has been very good over the last few weeks and has a 3.63 ERA for the season after a dubious start. The Cubs now head out on a challenging three-city road trip beginning Tuesday in Washington.
The Nationals (28-31) started out 17-26, but they have gone 11-5 to get back within shouting distance of the break-even mark. The offense has started to come on and their .709 team OPS ranks 15th in MLB. James Wood is having a tremendous season with 16 home runs and a .972 OPS, making him the most dangerous hitter in the lineup. Shortstop CJ Abrams is also having a nice year and is a threat to impact a game.
Washington has a couple of effective starting pitchers, but it’s been a tough year overall with a 5.02 team ERA. MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin have been good at the top of the rotation, and the Cubs will face both of them in the series. The Nats bullpen has been an absolute mess this season with a 5.93 ERA and is definitely the Achilles’ heel of the squad.
Chicago will travel to Detroit and Philadelphia after Washington to face two of the best teams in baseball. They have built up a big cushion with their success against the soft portion of the schedule, which means they will be in good shape even if they struggle a bit during this difficult stretch.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Tuesday, June 3 at 5:45pm CT on Marquee.
- Wednesday, June 4 at 5:45pm CT on Marquee.
- Thursday, June 5 5:45pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 6/3 | Cade Horton | 23 | R | 3.98 | 2-0 | 4.95 | 4.00 |
| Trevor Williams | 33 | R | 5.69 | 3-5 | 4.09 | 2.87 | |
| 6/4 | Matthew Boyd | 34 | L | 3.08 | 5–2 | 3.45 | 4.27 |
| MacKenzie Gore | 26 | L | 3.16 | 2–5 | 2.65 | 4.81 | |
| 6/5 | Colin Rea | 34 | R | 3.96 | 3-2 | 4.34 | 2.69 |
| Jake Irvin | 28 | R | 3.93 | 5–1 | 4.43 | 2.35 |
What to Watch For
- Kyle Tucker is considered day-to-day after jamming his right ring finger against the Reds on Sunday.
- Rea gave up a combined 12 runs in his last two outings, both against Cincinnati.
- Michael Busch has a five-game hitting streak that includes a homer and a triple in his last two.
- Nico Hoerner had six hits against the Reds.
