Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Prediction MLB Picks 8/31/24

Washington Nationals (61-73) vs Chicago Cubs (68-66)

Game Info: Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 4:05 pm (Nationals Park)

DJ Herz (2-6) (3.84) vs Javier Assad (6-4) (3.15)

Betting Odds: Washington Nationals +116 / Chicago Cubs -137 --- Over/Under: 9 Click Here for the Latest Odds

Where to Watch: MASN Stream the MLB Game of the Day all season on ESPN+. Sign up now! Advertisement

In this article, we will formulate a Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Prediction for this MLB game on Saturday, August 31st, at Nationals Park.  To formulate this prediction, we will examine:

-The Cubs recent form and recent player performance 

-The Nationals recent form and recent player performance

-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Chicago

-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Washington

-Recent betting trends in games played between Chicago and Washington

-A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for Today’s Game between the Cubs and Nationals. 

Cubs Hold On Late

The Cubs almost blew Friday’s game late, but they ended up making the crucial out lates and winning 7-6. Cody Bellinger hit a home run and drove in two RBIs. The Cubs are averaging 4.48 runs while their pitching is giving up 4.21 runs per game. The offense is ranked 15th in the league while the pitching is ranked 11th. Ian Happ has hit 23 home runs and driven in 75 RBIs so far this season.

Getting the start for the Cubs will be Javier Assad who sits with a 6-4 record and an ERA of 3.15. In his last start against the Miami Marlins, he went seven innings giving up six hits and three runs. 

Why the Cubs Will Beat the Nationals

  • The Cubs have won seven of their last eight games.
  • The Nationals have lost seven of their last nine games at Nationals Park against National League opponents that held a winning record.
  • The Cubs have covered the run line in six of their last seven games against National League opponents after playing the previous day.

Nationals Fall Just Short

The Nationals fell just short on Friday. They scored three runs in the 9th inning but still ended up losing by a run. Jacob Young hit a home run and drove in two RBIs. The Nationals are averaging 4.22 runs while their pitching is giving up 4.66 runs per game. The offense is ranked 20th in the league while the pitching is ranked 24th in the league. 

They do have a negative run differential of -0.44 which is 23rd. Getting the start for the Nationals will be DJ Herz who sits with a 2-6 record and an ERA of 3.84. In his last start against the Atlanta Braves, he was good going five innings giving up one hit and zero runs. 

Why the Nationals Will Beat the Cubs

  • The Nationals have won six of their last seven games as underdogs following a home loss.
  • The Cubs have lost 16 of their last 22 games as favorites against National League opponents following a win.
  • The Nationals have covered the run line each of their last six-day games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
  • The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games at Nationals Park against teams that held a losing record.
  • The Cubs have lost the first inning in each of their last three games as favorites.

Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Prediction

This game is going to be a low-scoring affair. Hertz in his last start gave up zero runs and although his record might only be 2-6 it’s been because of the lack of run support. Assad gets the start for the Cubs and he’s going to have a dominant start here. The Nationals and Cubs bats are both going to be ice cold all game and this game will end up staying under the total. This is one of the top plays on the board.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

Mitch's Take...

MLB Best Bets for Today Picks & Predictions Wednesday 9/18/24 | 7 Picks in 5 Minutes

18+ Has gambling become a problem for you? Call the National Problem Gambling Hotline.
1-800-522-4700 | ncpgambling.org

Credit Guaranteed Packages

Packages with Credit Guarantees automatically give you a credit if the package does not turn a profit—the sum of betting all individual picks. THESE ARE NOT PARLAYS UNLESS OTHERWISE CLEARLY STATED. If a credit guaranteed package does not profit, a credit for its full purchase price is automatically issued after picks are graded and verified.

For example, if you purchase a $39.95 package that doesn’t profit, you’ll get a $39.95 credit towards any future purchase(s) on our site. Credits are usually issued within hours of a game’s conclusion, so please allow a few hours for final verification.

To use your credits, log in to your account and add another package or pass to your cart. Credits will automatically reduce what you owe. Any remaining balance will be settled through our payment system, with any leftover credits available future purchases. Credits do not expire.

Dismiss