The Cubs have spent the first two games making Washington work, and the Nationals still haven’t turned that pressure into a win. Chicago now has a chance this afternoon to finish the job and complete the sweep.
Craig Counsell is shaking up the lineup a bit, starting with Nico Hoerner getting the day off. Pedro Ramírez slides over to second base for his eighth start there this season, and it’s his second straight day in the lineup. On Wednesday, Ramírez stepped in for Alex Bregman, who got a turn at DH.
Bregman is back in the cleanup spot after one of the loudest games of his career. He launched three homers in Chicago’s blowout win and is hitting .400 over the club’s last seven games with 14 RBIs. After some fans wondered about his big offseason deal, he’s starting to quiet that noise and look like the veteran presence the Cubs need right now.
Ian Happ also returns to the lineup and will bat right behind Bregman. The switch hitter has been sitting against some lefties since Tyrone Taylor arrived at the trade deadline. Michael Conforto is back at DH, and Miguel Amaya will catch, with Carson Kelly sitting out.
Washington has done its part to show why this lineup is one of the best in baseball. The Nationals have scored six runs in each of the last two games. The issue has been on the other side of the ball, where their pitching hasn’t been able to keep Chicago in check.
That makes this a meaningful test for Kevin Gausman. The Nationals put the ball in play a lot, and Gausman was vulnerable to strings of hits during his time with Toronto this season.
Still, his Cubs debut was encouraging: 7.0 innings, four hits allowed. Whether that was the change of scenery, the defense behind him, or both, he looked more like himself.
Washington will send Cade Cavalli to the mound, and he’s been solid this season with a 3.57 ERA across 128.2 innings. His breaking stuff has given the Cubs trouble at times, and he’ll likely try to set hitters up with a high-90s four-seamer before going to the knuckle curve.
Who: Chicago Cubs (71-50) at Washington Nationals (59-66)
Where: Nationals Park - Washington, DC
When: 3:05 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score, TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN
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