NLDS: CUBS VS. NATIONALS
A look at the best-of-five National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals:
Schedule
(All times EDT) Game 1, Friday, at Washington, 7:31 p.m.; Game 2, Saturday, at Washington, 5:38 p.m.; Game 3, Monday, Oct. 9, at Chicago, TBA; x-Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Chicago, TBA; x-Game 5, Thursday, Oct. 12, at Washington. (All games on TBS). x-if necessary.
Season Series
Nationals won 4-3.
Projected Lineups
Cubs: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs) or Jon Jay (.296, 2, 34, .374 OBP) or 2B-OF Ben Zobrist (.232, 12, 50), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, .409 OBP), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, .392 OBP), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59, 150 Ks), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75).
Nationals: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11, 45, 46 SBs), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 doubles, 84 walks, 82 Ks), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, NL-best 43 doubles), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 doubles, career-high .573 slugging percentage), LF Jayson Werth (.226, 10, 29 in 70 games) or Howie Kendrick (.315, 9, 41 in 91 games with Phillies and Nationals), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53).
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA; 2.19 in 13 starts after All-Star break), LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33, 180 Ks in 1802⁄3 IP), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15 with White Sox and Cubs), RH Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53).
Nationals: RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks in 175 1/3 IP), RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51, NL-high 268 Ks in 2002⁄3 IP, 6th straight season with 200 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 BBs and 188 Ks in 201 IP), RH Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67).
Relievers
Cubs: RH Wade Davis (4-2, 2.30, 32/33 saves), LH Brian Duensing (1-1, 2.74), RH Pedro Strop (5-4, 2.83), RH Carl Edwards Jr. (5-4, 2.98), LH Mike Montgomery (7-8, 3.38, 44 games, 14 starts, 3 saves), RH Hector Rondon (4-1, 4.24), RH John Lackey (12-12, 4.59, 31 games, 30 starts), LH Justin Wilson (4-4, 3.41, 13 saves with Tigers and Cubs; 5.09 in 23 appearances for Cubs), RH Justin Grimm (1-2, 5.53).
Nationals: LH Sean Doolittle (2-0, 2.81, career-high 24/26 saves for Athletics and Nationals), RH Ryan Madson (5-4, 1.83, 2 saves for Athletics and Nationals), RH Brandon Kintzler (4-3, 3.03, career-high 29/35 saves for Twins and Nationals), RH Matt Albers (7-2, 1.62, 63 appearances), LH Oliver Perez (0-0, 4.64, 50 appearances).
Matchups
Nationals manager Dusty Baker faces one of his former teams; he managed Cubs from 2003-06, with one playoff appearance during that span. That came in 2003, which featured the “Steve Bartman” game at Wrigley Field and a heartbreaking loss to Marlins in NLCS. … Nationals outscored Cubs 39-28 in head-to-head meetings this season. … ERA for Cubs starters jumped by more than a run from major league-best 2.96 last year to 4.05 this season, which ranked seventh. … Lester looked sharp while winning final two starts, allowing one run over 11 innings. He posted 8.22 ERA in previous five outings. … Arrieta skipped regular-season finale against Cincinnati to rest strained right hamstring. He was hurt Sept. 4, did not pitch again until Sept. 21 and went three innings vs. St. Louis in second-shortest outing of season. Arrieta was 6-1 with 1.59 ERA in first nine starts following All-Star break. … Davis set franchise record by converting first 32 save chances before giving up winning 10th-inning homer to Milwaukee’s Travis Shaw on Sept. 23. … Rizzo tied for eighth in majors in RBIs. … Bryant hit .325 with .421 OBP after All-Star break. Finished season ranked seventh in majors with .409 OBP. … Zobrist, a three-time All-Star and the 2016 World Series MVP, posted his lowest batting average since .238 for Tampa Bay in 2010. … Nationals hit a franchise-record 215 homers — 10 players had at least 10 — and scored a club-record 819 runs. Cubs exceeded both those totals with 223 homers and 822 runs.