The surging Chicago Cubs begin a nine-game road swing with a three-game matchup against the Washington Nationals, starting Tuesday night.
Currently leading the NL Central, the Cubs have been on a hot streak, winning 12 of their last 15 games. That run includes a weekend series win against the Cincinnati Reds.
On Sunday, Michael Busch homered and collected three RBIs, while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner each had three hits. The Cubs converted an early five-run cushion into a 7-3 victory.
“It’s been a mix of contributions from different guys,” said manager Craig Counsell. “That’s the key to staying consistent offensively.”
The team experienced a brief scare when outfielder Kyle Tucker injured his right ring finger while stealing second base. He left the game, but X-rays came back negative.
“I feel okay,” Tucker said. “It’s just a bit swollen. With Monday off, I’m hoping it improves by the time we get to Washington.”
Counsell listed Tucker as day-to-day.
Batting second in the lineup, Tucker is having a solid season with a .284 average, 12 home runs, 10 doubles, four triples, 44 runs scored, and 39 RBIs. He’s walked 40 times, struck out just 32, and stolen 16 bases.
The Nationals have been playing well, too. They wrapped up a 4-2 road trip by taking two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“This was really important,” said second baseman Luis García Jr., via an interpreter. “It proves we’re a competitive team with a lot of talent.”
Washington has gone 10-4 since May 16, climbing past the Braves into third in the NL East.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup features Cubs rookie right-hander Cade Horton (2-0, 3.98 ERA) versus Nationals right-hander Trevor Williams (3-5, 5.69 ERA).
Horton, a 2022 first-round draft pick, started this season in Triple-A after a shoulder injury last year. This will be his fifth big league outing and fourth start. In his most recent game, he threw six innings against the Rockies, giving up two runs on four hits. Over four appearances, he has 16 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings, with four walks and four home runs allowed.
Williams, who struggled through much of May, is coming off his best start of the year — six scoreless innings with three hits, no walks, and two strikeouts against the Mariners. In 18 career appearances (14 starts) against the Cubs, he is 4-8 with a 4.55 ERA.
Washington had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Sunday, after scoring nine or more runs in each of the previous four games.
Still, the Nationals’ offense is showing promise, led by James Wood and recent call-up Robert Hassell III. Wood is on pace for 44 homers, while Hassell batted .333 on his first major league road trip.
Through his first 10 MLB games, Hassell is hitting .268 with one homer and six RBIs.
“We’re being more selective at the plate,” said manager Dave Martinez. “We’re hitting pitches up in the zone and using the whole field. That approach is really paying off.”
