After a disappointing series in Arizona, the Cubs return home – with a very short break between games when you consider the West Coast travel – to take on what is probably the best team in baseball. It’s gut check time.
Tsuyoshi Wada makes his second start for the Cubs, and hopefully he’ll get just as many strikeouts this time around and last about six innings. The conditions this morning have included the wind howling out, so it might not be a great day to pitch at Wrigley for a fly-ball guy like Wada. Hopefully the bats come ready.
Wada’s opponent, Tanner Roark, for the record, is a groundball guy.
Also, for the record: don’t let Bryce Harper beat you, which he can do anywhere near the zone, let alone in it.
Game Info
Washington Nationals (26-18) at Chicago Cubs (24-19), 1:20 CT on WGN-9 (or your local affiliate), and MLB.tv.
Game Thread and Series Preview
Your game thread is down there in the comments, so have fun.
The Series Preview lives here.
Starting Pitchers
Tanner Roark (2.66 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 4.55 xFIP; 1.40 K/BB)
versus
Tsuyoshi Wada (3.86 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 1.46 xFIP; 9.00 K/BB)
Washington Nationals Lineup
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Ian Desmond, SS
3. Yunel Escobar, 3B
4. Bryce Harper, RF
5. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
6. Wilson Ramos, C
7. Danny Espinosa, 2B
8. Michael Taylor, LF
9. Tanner Roark, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Starlin Castro, SS
5. Jorge Soler, RF
6. Chris Coghlan, LF
7. David Ross, C
8. Tsuyoshi Wada, P
9. Addison Russell, 2B