Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals 5/1/2023 Picks, Previews and Tips
In Washington D.C., the Nationals Park will be the site of Game 1 of a four-game National League inter-divisional series between the Chicago Cubs of the NL Central and the Washington Nationals of the NL East on Monday evening. The Cubs, who are currently third in the NL Central, will try to snap their three-game losing streak as they head into the game with a 14-13 record overall and 6-5 on the road. The Cubs have lost four out of their last five games, including a series sweep by the Miami Marlins on the road. On Sunday, the Cubs struggled with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-7 and leaving eight players on base in a 3-4 road loss to the Marlins.
Leading the Cubs in batting average at .328 and in hits with 29 is second baseman Nico Hoerner, while third baseman Patrick Wisdom has the team-high in home runs with 10 and RBIs with 20. Shortstop Dansby Swanson also adds an on-base percentage at .412 for Chicago. The Cubs will send left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly to start on the mound. With a 2-1 record and a 3.21 ERA in 28 innings pitched, the thirty-year-old southpaw starter has only given up two home runs and has retired 27 batters with an impressive 0.93 WHIP.
The Chicago Cubs will be down three pitchers for this game due to injuries. Starting Pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Jameson Taillon are both out with shoulder and groin injuries respectively and have been placed on a 15-day injured list. Additionally, Relief Pitcher Brandon Hughes has also been sidelined with a knee injury and is on a 15-day injured list.
Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals 5/1/2023 Picks, Previews and Tips
The Washington Nationals are set to face off against the Chicago Cubs at home for a four-game series starting Monday. The Nationals had a tough start to the season, losing a doubleheader to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but were able to win the series finale over the weekend. With a 10-17 overall record and a run difference of -26, they are currently at the bottom of the NL East. In their recent victory against Pittsburgh, Luis Garcia and Jeimer Candelario each drove in a pair of runs to lead the Nationals to a 7-2 win. Starter Josiah Gray pitched 6.0 innings and allowed only one run, earning him the win.
DH Joey Meneses leads the Nationals in batting average at .286 and has a team-high 32 hits, while Center Fielder Victor Robles has an on-base percentage of .374. Third Baseman Jeimer Candelario has hit four home runs and has 14 RBIs this season. The Nationals will be starting left-hander MacKenzie Gore in the series opener against the Cubs on Monday. In his last game, he struck out ten batters and allowed only one run in 6.0 innings of work, leading the Nationals to a 4-1 road victory against the NY Mets on April 26th.
Unfortunately, the Nationals have several players on the injured list, including Starters Stephen Strasburg and Cade Cavalli, who are on a 60-day IL due to elbow injuries. Relievers Victor Arano and Tanner Rainey are also on a 60-day IL due to elbow injuries. Catcher Israel Pineda, Shortstop Carter Kieboom, Left Fielder Corey Dickerson, and Second Baseman Ildemaro Vargas are all on a 10-day injured list status.
Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals. The MLB Pick for this contest is the Chicago Cubs. Despite the injuries on both sides, the Cubs appear to have the upper hand with their strong offense. The Nationals ranked 27th in OPS and 27th in runs scored this season, while the Cubs are in the top 10 in both categories. The prediction is that the Cubs will win this match-up 5-3.
MLB Starting Time: 7:05 PM ET
Location: Nationals Park in Washington, District of Columbia
Date: Monday, May 1, 2023
TV: MASN, MARQ
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Chicago Cubs -135
MLB Totals: 8.5
