Cubs vs. Nationals: Key Matchups and Playoff Implications

The Cubs take on the Nationals. The Cubs earlier in the week did make a rotation change, so it looks like, and I'm not which I'm not sure which spot this may end up being, but as of right now we'll show you that it's Assad versus Irvin, Imanaga versus Michaelis, and then Peterson versus Cade Cavalli, but I suspect that Braxton Garrett, who was traded from Miami to the Cubs, is going to enter into their rotation. I'm not really sure where. The good news for the Nationals, they have Cade Cavalli pitching on Thursday, but beyond that we know, Tom, where this has headed. Nationals, to me, are going to be one of the more exciting teams in the future, without a doubt. 27, 28, 29, but, you know, there's no teams that you can't really actively tank in baseball. It would be wise for Washington to try. I mean, they got the number one overall pick somehow. Maybe they could chase that down again this year. Yeah, Nationals, again, good proving point for some of their young pitchers. Michaelis is terrible. Cade Cavalli is solid. Good spot for the Cubs. You know, you're coming off a big week. You beat the Dodgers. You're going to be facing a watered-down Nationals lineup because there's no James Wood high-scoring series, right? If the Cubs are rolling right now and PCA is all of a sudden in the MVP conversation, this is a good spot to back the Cubs in some capacity, whether it's a team total, whether it's a run line, anytime you get exposure going up against the Nationals bullpen, that seems like a good idea, but the Cubs can chase down the Brewers in some capacity and make the end of September really interesting because as we just talked about with the Brewers going up against the Padres, that's not an easy series for the Brewers. It's super exciting, but if there's any chance for the Cubs to pick up games, it'd be when the Brewers are going to potentially be losing some. Yeah, and look, the Brewers are like Tampa Bay, one of baseball's best teams at home. When you're going to Milwaukee and you're playing three games, you're going to lose two out of three, and if you play four, you're probably going to lose three out of four, but they're human and when they go on the road, they are not the same team, and that is definitely the case, and that's why if Milwaukee can stave off Chicago, it just gives them a major advantage in the National League Division Series or the National League Championship Series. As far as the Cubs are concerned, they still have games against Milwaukee left. I believe they have six, so in order to win the division, the Cubs are going to have to, I would think, at least win four out of six, catch the Brewers and sort of stay ahead, but I don't know. It's a lot to ask considering the Cubs a few years ago were in the same position and then lost, I believe, at the end of the season 11 out of 12 and didn't even make the playoffs, so I'm a little still wary of backing the Cubs, especially with some of the injuries that they have had.