Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 8/17/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals

Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-130) Washington (+110)

The Washington Nationals (39-78) are hosting the Chicago Cubs (47-67) at Nationals Park on Wednesday. The moneyline on this matchup has the Cubs at -130 while the Nationals are priced at +110. The total is set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Drew Smyly and Cory Abbott.

The Cubs have tallied 191 doubles as a unit and have hit 116 balls out of the stadium. Chicago is slugging .395 and have been rung up 1,014 times, while being walked on 369 occasions. As a team, the Chicago Cubs are earning 4.2 runs per game, which has them at 21st in the league. They have accounted for 446 runs batted in in addition to 943 hits on the season, while their batting average comes in at .244. They have accounted for 474 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .318.

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Cubs pitchers have relinquished 146 long balls in addition to 547 total runs (24th in the league). They have walked 377 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.29 as a team so far this season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.64 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.33. The Cubs have compiled a team earned run average of 4.27 on the campaign (23rd in the league), and the staff has rung up 996 hitters.

Cubs relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 113 times in addition to having 127 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have accumulated 36 holds for the year (29th in the league). The Cubs relievers have compiled a save rate of 58.1% and has entered the game in 82 save situations. They have tallied 25 saves this season and have blown 18 of their 43 chances to get a save. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 153 runners on the season with 28.8% of those runners earned a run for their team. The Cubs have sent 376 relief pitchers to the hill for the year.

The Cubs have converted 68.6% of balls in play into outs out of 9,138 innings, which has them ranked 24th in pro baseball. The Chicago Cubs have amassed 3,046 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 1,025 assists and 71 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .983 which ranks 26th in pro baseball, and have a total of 100 double plays.

Smyly has taken the hill for 908 innings and has earned 892 strikeouts in his career. Smyly (51-45 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 4.29 while facing 3,824 opposing batters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.14 (418 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.276. He has allowed 876 base hits (8.7 hits per nine innings) with 283 walks.

Washington has compiled 96 long balls so far this year to go along with 424 RBIs. They have put up 179 two-baggers, while taking a walk 345 times as well as putting up 443 runs. The Washington Nationals have accounted for a team OBP of .314 and a batting average of .248 over the course of the season. The Nationals hold a team slugging percentage of .375 and they average 3.79 runs per outing (26th in MLB). They have struck out on 853 instances (28th in MLB) and have notched a total of 968 base hits.

The Nationals have a team WHIP of 1.481 with a FIP of 5.02 as a staff this season. They rank 29th in the league as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,093. The Washington pitching staff have surrendered 652 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 5.29 (600 earned runs allowed). Their K/BB ratio is 2.15 (901 strikeouts against 419 bases on balls). They have surrendered 179 long balls and they allow 5.75 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league).

Washington bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.2% out of their 189 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 88 times in high leverage situations and also on 115 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 81 save situations, the Nationals have accumulated 46 holds and 13 blown saves. They are ranked 20th in MLB with a save percentage of 61.8%, and they have sent 427 relief pitchers onto the diamond so far this year. Washington has called on relievers to take the mound in 34 save opportunities and they have recorded 21 saves.

In their 9,189 innings on the field, the Nationals hold a efficiency on defense of 67.9% (27th in baseball). The Washington Nationals have turned 83 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .982 (29th in MLB). The Nationals have 1,013 assists, 76 errors and are sitting with 3,063 putouts on the season.

During his MLB career, Abbott has conceded 35 base hits while earning 28 K's in 34 innings. Abbott (0-2 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a 6.35 ERA while allowing 9.3 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 24 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.676 and a FIP of 8.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.27 and he has gone up against 161 hitters so far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Washington (+110)

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