Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/19/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (-161) Chicago (+130)

Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals (16-21, 5th in NL East) are headed to Wrigley Field on Wednesday where they'll take on the Chicago Cubs (20-20, 3rd in NL Central). The Nationals open this game at -161 while the Cubs are coming in at +130. The total opens at 9. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Max Scherzer and Jake Arrieta.

The Nationals have accrued 56 two-baggers as a team and have hit 39 balls out of the park. Washington has a slugging rate of .396 and have been rung up 309 times, while drawing a walk on 108 occasions. As a unit, the Washington Nationals are scoring 3.9 runs per game, which ranks them 25th in MLB. They have accumulated 141 runs batted in in addition to 312 hits this year, and their average at the plate sits at .252. They have tallied 145 runs and have an OBP of .320.

Nationals pitchers have surrendered 53 home runs in addition to 158 runs in total (10th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 130 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 4.65 as a team so far this year. Their K/BB ratio is 2.44 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.22. The Nationals have an ERA of 4.02 so far this year (15th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 317 hitters.

The Nationals relief pitchers have a save rate of 57.1% and stepped onto the hill in 19 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 35 runners this season and 31.4% of those players crossed home plate. Nationals pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 22 times as well as having 28 appearances in high leverage situations. The Nationals have sent 123 relief pitchers to the mound this year. The relief pitchers have accumulated 12 holds this season (26th in the league). They have compiled 4 saves on the season and have missed out on 3 of their 7 chances to get a save.

The Washington Nationals have amassed 967 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 325 assists and 19 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .986 which puts them in 9th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 268 double plays. The Nationals have transformed 73.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of 2,901 innings on the field, which ranks them 1st in baseball.

Scherzer has thrown 2,408 frames and has earned 2,852 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. Scherzer (178-95 record in his career) has a FIP of 3.14 and he has faced 9,763 hitters in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.19 (853 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.093. He has given up 1,984 hits (7.4 hits per nine innings) and has 649 walks.

The Cubs hold a slugging % of .404 and they average 4.60 runs per game (9th in MLB). They have tallied 61 two-baggers, while taking a walk 141 times and scoring 184 runs. Chicago is sitting with 48 long balls on the season as well as 177 runs batted in. They have struck out on 392 occasions (6th in MLB) and have earned a total of 306 base hits. The Chicago Cubs have earned an OBP of .318 in addition to a team batting average of .234 for the year.

The Cubs are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.378 in addition to having a FIP of 4.53 as a team on the year. They are sitting at 19th in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 330. The Chicago pitching staff have given up 182 runs this year while holding a team ERA of 4.30 (169 earned runs surrendered). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.32 (367 strikeouts against 158 free passes). They have given up 51 homers and they concede 4.63 runs per 9 innings (20th in the league).

Chicago bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 29.7% out of 74 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 55 times in high leverage situations and on 49 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 43 save situations, the Cubs have 28 holds in addition to 5 blown saves. They rank 12th in baseball with a save percentage of 64.3%, and they have dispatched 157 bullpen pitchers to the hill so far this year. Chicago has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 14 save opportunities and they have come away with 9 saves.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 39 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .987 (4th in pro baseball). The Cubs have recorded 398 assists, 19 errors and have a tally of 1,063 putouts for the year. In 3,189 innings on the field, the Cubs have earned a efficiency on defense of 69.1% (19th in the majors).

Arrieta (114-82 career mark) is the owner of a 3.77 earned run average and has surrendered 7.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.55 and he has faced 6,441 hitters during his MLB career. He has given up a total of 649 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.220 and a FIP of 3.9. During his MLB career, Arrieta has allowed 1,352 base knocks and he has 1,379 K's in 1,551 frames.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Washington (-161)

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