As the games go on, there comes a time when every MLB fan and even the top exclusive handicappers will fancy a thrilling game between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Nationals stand at 68-84, and the Cubs sit at 77-75, with only a handful of games left in the season. This game, scheduled on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 7:40 PM ET, doesn’t just give a sneak peek to viewers of how the teams are going to close the season but also displays an interesting fight against the odds.
Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs 9/19/24 Game Info and Odds |
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| When: | Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 7:40 PM ET |
| Where: | Wrigley Field |
| Watch: | MASN, MARQ, MLB.TV |
| Nationals odds: | +154 |
| Cubs odds: | -185 |
| Total Line: | 8.5 |
Washington Nationals (68-84) vs. Chicago Cubs (77-75)
Washington’s campaign has clearly been a difficult one due to a streak of defeats, which has seen them sink below .500 in terms of win percentage. Assessing the last five matches played by the Nationals, the team has performed poorly, as the situation shows. They were whipped by the NY Mets twice in a row, including a painful 0-10 score on September 18 and a 1-10 score on September 17, which carries an alarming trend of being unable to repel their opponents.
| Washington Nationals Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Sep 18, 2024 | NYM | 0-10 | L |
| Sep 17, 2024 | NYM | 1-10 | L |
| Sep 16, 2024 | NYM | 1-2 | L |
| Sep 15, 2024 | MIA | 4-3 | W |
| Sep 14, 2024 | MIA | 4-1 | W |
On the other hand, there has been an uptick performance-wise in recent games, as shown by the Chicago Cubs, though with their win – Los Angeles Dodgers games fairly balanced. Hoops has won 2 out of their last 5 games, including also 2 victories against the Colorado Rockies and a good performance winning Oakland Athletics. Moreover, in their recent matches, they also beat the Dodgers in 2 out of 3 games.
| Chicago Cubs Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Sep 18, 2024 | OAK | 3-5 | L |
| Sep 17, 2024 | OAK | 3-4 | L |
| Sep 16, 2024 | OAK | 9-2 | W |
| Sep 15, 2024 | COL | 6-2 | W |
| Sep 14, 2024 | COL | 5-6 | L |
Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.45 ERA) vs. Javier Assad (7-5, 3.27 ERA)
Patrick Corbin’s season has been less than ideal, with a high ERA of 5.45 and a WHIP of 1.49, indicating some difficulty in pitching as well as in fielding in terms of controlling the tempo of the game or keeping the runners at bay. His numbers could be a reason why the Nationals are struggling this season, as evidenced by the number of hits and home runs given up in the many innings pitched.
Javier Assad’s stats tell quite a different story; able to keep a more reasonable 3.27 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, he offers the Cubs a relatively more competent option on the mound than the latter’s. The fact that he is able to keep lower hit and walk rates than Corbin will be crucial in containing the Nationals’ lineup, enabling the Cubs to utilize the slight edge in offensive numbers to win.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Chicago Cubs -185, Total Odds: 8.5
The Chicago Cubs are currently the most favoured team, given the fact that they are playing at home and they have a better pitcher in Assad. The totals are placed at 8.5, with the UNDER likelihood pegged at -115, which indicates the high odds of limited scoring, reflecting the previous playing patterns of the teams in context.
Washington Nationals Betting Trends
Washington’s betting form is not impressive; they have lost against the Cubs five games in a row and are struggling when taking bets on Thursdays and when underdogs. This trend may predispose certain bettors to favour the Cubs, especially after crummy showings by the Nationals of late.
Chicago Cubs Betting Trends
The Cubs are the more positive trend, especially in their matchups with National League teams, in which they have a 13-6 SU record. This recent trend of scoring for the team is also in line with the betting trends in favour of OVER in games against the Nationals.
Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs 9/19/24 Betting Picks
Based on the objective facts and analysis, I will finally suggest betting the money line of the Chicago Cubs on -185. Considering the current form of the Nationals and the pitching matchup of the Washington Nationals, this is a game which favors the Chicago Cubs. Looking at the total, in light of the recent games and their scoring outcomes, the most reasonable bet appears to be the UNDER 8.5 due to the important pitching factors in play.
The free MLB advice daily compels an addiction to prop bets, which most likely won’t come through given the time of the season. Nonetheless, betting the Cubs on straight win odds appears to be the most sensible option, considering the current trend and previous results.