On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs (38-23) are visiting the Washington Nationals (29-32), at 6:45 p.m. ET, in the final game of a three-game series.
The Nationals are an underdog (+112 on the moneyline to win) when they square off against the Cubs (-132). The scheduled starters are Drew Pomeranz (2-0) for the Chicago Cubs, and Jake Irvin (5-1) for the Washington Nationals.
These clubs meet again after the Nationals’ 2-0 victory over the Cubs yesterday. MacKenzie Gore (7.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 7 K) registered the win for the Nationals. Nasim Nunez went 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI to lead the team on offense. Matthew Boyd (7.1 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 6 K) took the loss on the mound for the Cubs.
Ahead of watching this Cubs vs. Nationals matchup, here’s what you need to know about Thursday’s action on the diamond, including viewing options.
Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals odds, line and spread
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 12:17 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Favorite: Cubs (-132, bet $132 to win $100)Underdog: Nationals (+112, bet $100 to win $112)Over/under: 9.5Cubs vs. Nationals: Game time and live stream infoGame day: Thursday, June 5, 2025Game time: 6:45 p.m. ETLocation: Washington D.C.Stadium: Nationals ParkTV channel: MASN and MARQLive stream: Watch LIVE with Fubo! (Regional restrictions may apply)
Watch Cubs vs. Nationals on Fubo!
Cubs stats and trendsCubs betting recordsThis season, the Cubs have been favored 42 times and won 29, or 69%, of those games.Chicago has entered 32 games this season favored by -132 or more and is 22-10 in those contests.The moneyline for this contest implies a 56.9% chance of a victory for the Cubs.Chicago’s games have gone over the total in 35 of its 61 chances.The Cubs are 32-29-0 against the spread in their 61 chances this season.Drew Pomeranz (Cubs probable starter)Pomeranz (2-0) makes the start for the Cubs, his second of the season.His most recent appearance came on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, when the lefty went one scoreless inning without allowing a hit.In his 15 appearances this season, opposing hitters have a collective batting average of only .091 against him. He has a 0.00 ERA and averages 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings.He will attempt for his 16th straight appearance without giving up an earned run.He will face a Nationals offense that ranks 19th in MLB with 492 total hits (on a .243 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .394 (13th in MLB) with 61 total home runs (17th in MLB).Cubs batting statsThe Cubs’ 81 home runs rank fifth in Major League Baseball.Hitters for Chicago have a combined .443 slugging percentage this season, which ranks fourth in MLB.The Cubs’ .260 batting average is among the best in baseball, ranking second in MLB.Chicago has scored 349 runs this season, which ranks second in MLB.The Cubs are among the best in the league at getting on base, ranking third with an OBP of .334.Chicago has shown patience at the plate this season with the ninth-best rate of strikeouts per game (7.9) among MLB offenses.Nationals stats and trendsNationals betting recordsThe Nationals have been victorious in 27, or 51.9%, of the 52 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.This year, Washington has won 21 of 42 games when listed as at least +112 or worse on the moneyline.The Nationals have an implied victory probability of 47.2% according to the moneyline set by sportsbooks for this matchup.Washington and its opponents have gone over in 29 of its 60 games with a total set by sportsbooks this season.In 60 games with a line this season, the Nationals have a mark of 34-26-0 against the spread.Jake Irvin (Nationals probable starter)The Nationals are sending Irvin (5-1) to make his 13th start of the season. He is 5-1 with a 3.93 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings pitched.In his most recent time out on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the right-hander threw five innings, giving up six earned runs while surrendering 10 hits.The 28-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.93, with 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 12 games this season. Opponents are hitting .235 against him.Irvin has six quality starts under his belt this season.Irvin will try to extend a 13-game streak of pitching five or more innings (he’s averaging 6.1 innings per appearance).He has held his opponents without an earned run in two of his 12 appearances this season.He will face off against a Cubs offense that ranks third in the league with 550 total hits (on a .260 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .443 (fourth in the league) with 81 total home runs (fifth in MLB action).The 28-year-old ranks 61st in ERA (3.93), 41st in WHIP (1.173), and 74th in K/9 (5.8) among qualifying pitchers in MLB play this season.Nationals batting statsThe Nationals average one home run per game to rank 17th in MLB play with 61 total home runs.This season, Washington ranks 13th in the majors, slugging .394.The Nationals have the 17th-ranked batting average in the majors (.243).Averaging 4.4 runs per game (270 total), Washington is the 11th-highest scoring team in baseball.The Nationals’ .311 on-base percentage is 21st in the majors.