A pair of first-place teams in the National League hook-up in the first of a three-game set when the Nationals host the Cubs. Washington would like to put up a better showing against the Major League’s best outfit after the Nats were swept in a four-game set in Wrigley back in early May.
You can bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
We’re into month three of what’s shaping up to be the best Chicago Cubs season in decades. They started this current 10-day, nine-game road trip by taking two of three in Philadelphia to improve to 41-17, putting them on pace for 114 victories. The Cubs have been the favorite in every game since Mar. 22 and are still the third-most profitable team in the majors, up 10.14 units on the moneyline.
There are several reasons why the Cubs have been so good through this point in the year. One is their play against teams that are .500 or better. The Cubs are 17-6 against such teams. That’s a winning percentage of .739 – even better than their mark against teams with losing records. The Cubs swept the Nats in a four-game set at Wrigley in early May in a series that had seven or more combined runs scored in each game. It was a bit surprising since Chicago owns the majors’ best staff ERA while the Nationals rank third.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Kyle Hendricks (4-5, 2.90 ERA) looked solid but was pulled after only five innings and 81 pitches against Philadelphia in his last start. He surrendered four hits, including a homer to Ryan Howard, and two earned runs, but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the sixth with the Cubs behind 2-1. It certainly wasn’t a bad outing, but it tied for his shortest of the season. Hendricks has now gone four straight starts giving up two runs or fewer.
Against the Nationals on May 5, Hendricks tossed six shutout innings giving up just two hits while striking out four. The Cubs won 5-2. It’s the only start in which the righty did not give up a run. In three lifetime starts against the Nats, Hendricks is 2-0 with 1.50 ERA.
Max Scherzer (7-4, 3.57 ERA) silenced the White Sox over seven innings Wednesday, allowing just five hits and a walk while fanning six. The sparkling effort snapped a six-game streak of allowing homers, a stretch in which he watched 11 balls sail over the fence. Scherzer’s had some bright moments this year, but he’s been inconsistent and clearly prone to the long ball. His stuff clearly hasn’t diminished. Scherzer owns the third-most whiffs in the majors with 107 and a 1.05 WHIP.
Scherzer’s worst outing of the season came against the Cubs on May 6 when he was pounded for a season-high seven earned runs in just five innings of work. Four of the seven hits he allowed in that game were homers, with Ben Zobrist leaving the yard twice.
LIVE BETTING
We could see a good old-fashioned pitchers duel with the probables for Monday night’s game. Hendricks has quietly put together a solid season on the majors’ best starting staff. He owns a top 20 ERA but it’s just fourth-best in the Cubs’ rotation. Scherzer hasn’t been his usual lights-out self this season, but he’s coming off a brilliant outing against the White Sox, and he is Max Scherzer; the guy who tossed a pair of no-hitters last season and tied a MLB record with 20 strikeouts earlier this year.
The Cubs haven’t been behind much this MLB season. Their lack of familiarity with such situations could explain their difficulty in handling them. The Cubbies are only 3-12 when trailing entering the seventh inning, 2-14 when trailing entering the eighth and 1-15 when behind entering the ninth. It would behoove the Nats to get a lead and let the NL’s best bullpen finish if Scherzer is unable.
QUICK PICK
Scherzer needs to be a whole lot better this time around than he was the last time he faced the Cubs. His outing in Wrigley back in May was the worst of the season and the long ball bit him in the behind. Scherzer has served up a NL-high 16 gopher balls and the Cubs are responsible for 25 percent of that total. Chicago did their damage in just five innings, too. Zobrist hit a pair with Anthony Rizzo and Tommy LaStella also going deep.
It might not matter for the Nats the way Hendricks is dealing. The Cubs righty has put together a strong season but doesn’t get the attention the other members of the rotation does. He just goes about his business and puts his team in a position to win. And that’s what they do here.
MLB Odds: Chicago 4, Washington 3
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals is scheduled for Monday, June 13, 2016, at 7:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
