Tuesday, July 18's MLB schedule includes an intriguing battle between the Washington Nationals (38-56) and Chicago Cubs (43-50) at Wrigley Field.
- Nationals vs Cubs Game Info
- Nationals vs Cubs Odds & Spread
- Nationals vs Cubs Betting Trends
- Nationals vs Cubs Prediction & Pick
- Nationals vs Cubs Best Bet
Nationals vs Cubs Game Info
- Date:'Tuesday, July 18, 2023
- Time:'8:05 p.m. ET
- Venue:'Wrigley Field — Chicago, Illinois
- Coverage:'MASN, Marquee Sports Network
The two middling clubs began their three-game series with fireworks Monday, ending in a 7-5 win for the Nationals. The duo of Jeimer Candelario and Keibert Ruiz did most of Washington's damage, combining for five hits, two home runs, and four RBIs over just seven at-bats.
Nationals vs Cubs Odds & Spread
- Moneyline:'WSH: (+140) | CHC: (-166)
- Spread:'WSH: +1.5 (-146) | CHC: -1.5 (+122)
- Total:'9 — Over: (-120) | Under: (-102)
The Cubs enter this contest as home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 8:05 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 9 runs with the Over being favored at -120 odds.
Nationals vs Cubs Betting Trends
- Washington is 1-8 straight up (SU) in its last nine games on a Tuesday.
- The Cubs are 0-5 SU in their last five games against the NL East.
- The total has hit the Over in five of Washington's last six road games.
- The total has hit the Over in each of the Cubs' last five home games.
Nationals vs Cubs Prediction & Pick
It'll be interesting to see which version of Patrick Corbin the Nationals get tonight. On one hand, he just struck out six batters while allowing one run on five hits in his last start (July 9). On the other, his recent road play has been shaky at best, going 2-2 with a 5.72 ERA in his last five away starts, allowing six-plus runs twice during that span.
The Cubs' Jameson Taillon has left much to be desired, too. The 31-year-old righty is 3-6 with a 6.15 ERA through 15 starts this season. He's been much worse at home than on the road, tallying a 1-4 record with a 7.41 ERA in eight starts at Wrigley Field.
In what'll likely be another back-and-forth contest, I'm going with the Nationals to emerge victorious. They not only have momentum from yesterday's win, but they're now 4-1 SU in their last five meetings with the Cubs.
Throw in Chicago losing its last five meetings with the NL East and I like Washington's odds to win even more.
Final Score Prediction:'Nationals: 6 | Cubs: 5
Nationals vs Cubs Best Bet
After the two teams combined for a dozen runs yesterday, let's go with the Over on the 9-run total as the best bet. For starters, three of Corbin's last four starts have seen over nine runs scored while Taillon's last five home starts saw an average of 11.2 combined runs.
Further legitimizing this bet is the fact that the Over is not only 5-1 in Washington's last six games but also 5-0 in Chicago's previous five at home. In other words, there's no reason to expect a low-scoring affair tonight.