Matchup: Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Broadcast: Marquee Network
Betting Odds: Washington (+172) Chicago (-210)
On Friday, the Chicago Cubs (80-60) are set to face off against the Washington Nationals (56-83) at Wrigley Field. The betting lines indicate Washington at +172 and Chicago at -210, with an over/under set at 8 runs. Starting pitchers for this matchup are Jake Irvin and Javier Assad.

This season, the Washington Nationals are averaging 4.2 runs per game, placing them 23rd in the league. They have scored a total of 588 runs, achieving an on-base percentage (OBP) of .308. The Nationals have recorded 229 doubles and hit 130 home runs, accumulating 565 RBIs and 1,131 hits, with a batting average of .243. Their slugging percentage stands at .386, and they have struck out 1,123 times while earning 398 walks.
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The Nationals’ pitching staff has a K/BB ratio of 2.27 and a WHIP of 1.43. They’ve surrendered 180 home runs and a league-high 758 runs. Washington’s pitchers have allowed 1,269 hits this season (averaging 9.4 hits per 9 innings) and 716 earned runs. The team ERA is 5.28, also ranking 29th in MLB, with 1,070 strikeouts. Their walk count stands at 471, and the collective FIP for the team is 4.66 this season.
Relief pitchers for the Nationals have faced runners on base 136 times and have appeared in high-leverage situations on 103 occasions. They have secured 63 holds this year (26th in MLB), with a save percentage of 65.1% from 107 save opportunities, converting 28 saves while missing 15. The bullpen has inherited 231 runners, with 38.5% scoring. A total of 494 relief pitchers have taken the mound for Washington this season.
Defensively, the Nationals have converted 68.1% of plays into outs over 10,974 innings, ranking them 29th overall. They have 3,658 putouts, 1,187 assists, and 76 errors, leading to a .985 fielding percentage (20th in the league), along with 108 double plays.
Jake Irvin has pitched 462 innings, striking out 357 batters throughout his career. With a career record of 21-31, Irvin has a FIP of 4.74, facing 1,972 hitters. His earned run average sits at 4.81, having allowed 247 earned runs with a career WHIP of 1.330. He has given up 456 hits, averaging 8.9 hits per nine innings, along with issuing 159 walks.
The Chicago Cubs have an OBP of .319 and a batting average of .249 this season. They have struck out 1,084 times (27th in the league) while recording 1,186 hits. Chicago has amassed 189 home runs, totaling 672 RBIs, with a slugging percentage of .427 and an average of 4.91 runs per game (7th in MLB). They have also recorded 232 doubles, obtained 471 walks, and scored 688 runs.
Chicago’s pitching staff has conceded 573 runs, maintaining a team ERA of 3.88 (with 535 of those runs earned). They’ve allowed 173 home runs, permitting 4.15 runs per 9 innings (8th in the league). The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.206 and a FIP of 4.21 this season, along with a K/BB ratio of 7.80 (1,073 strikeouts to 364 walks). They currently rank 12th in MLB for total hits allowed, with 1,134.
With 149 save opportunities, the Cubs have recorded 93 holds and 16 blown saves. Their relief pitchers have entered 53 save situations, achieving 37 saves. Chicago’s bullpen has logged 140 high-leverage appearances and 90 instances with runners on base. They boast an impressive save rate of 69.8%, ranking 3rd in MLB, having sent 454 relief pitchers to the mound this season.
On the defensive side, the Cubs have turned 108 double plays and hold a .989 fielding percentage (5th in MLB). They’ve tallied 1,172 assists and 56 errors, with a total of 3,726 putouts this season. Across 11,178 innings played, their defensive efficiency is rated at 71.5% (3rd in MLB).
In his career, Javier Assad has allowed 293 hits while accumulating 258 strikeouts in 314 innings. With a record of 15-12, Assad has maintained a 3.44 ERA, permitting 8.4 hits per nine innings. He has given up 120 earned runs, recording a WHIP of 1.344 and a FIP of 3.4. His K/BB ratio is 2.00, having faced 1,338 hitters in his professional career.
Who will claim victory in tonight’s MLB matchup against the spread or moneyline?
Parlay Pundit’s Prediction: Take Chicago (-210) and the under 8 runs
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