by Rod Pearson
Monday, Aug 10, 2026
Game Time: 6:45 pm ET, Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Where to Watch: MLB TV
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Moneyline odds: Cubs -165, Nationals +135; Over/Under: 9 runs
Bet365: Moneyline odds: Cubs -165, Nationals +135; Over/Under: 9 runs
BetMGM: Moneyline odds: Cubs -165, Nationals +135; Over/Under: 9 runs
Season Record
Chicago Cubs: 69-50 (2nd place, NL Central)
Washington Nationals: 59-61 (4th place, NL East)
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Recent Form
Chicago Cubs: 7-3 last 10
Washington Nationals: 4-6 last 10
Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals Preview and Analysis
The Cubs are entering this series off a win and won their 3-game series against the Kansas City Royals 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 69-50 record overall and have a road record of 34-26. This is the series opener of a 3-game series with the Nationals on Tuesday and they have Monday off as a day of rest. Their offense ranks 3rd in the MLB with a .756 OPS. Matthew Boyd was their starting pitcher on Sunday while Shota Imanaga is making his start in this game on Tuesday. He is 8-9 with a 3.60 ERA this season. His team won 3 of their last 4 games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season appearance, he allowed 1 ER, 1 HR, and 0 BB with 6 SO on 8 hits through 5 IP against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Nationals are entering this series off a win and completed the sweep in their 3-game series against the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 in their last series. They enter this game with a 59-61 record overall and have a home record of 26-34. This is the 1st game of a 3-game series with the Cubs on Tuesday and they have Monday off as a day of rest. Their offense ranks 1st in the MLB with a .767 OPS. Brad Lord was their starting pitcher on Sunday while Jake Irvin is making his start in this game on Tuesday. He is 2-5 with a 5.37 ERA this season. His team won 2 of their last 3 games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season start, he allowed 2 earned runs, 1 homer, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts on 3 hits through 5.1 innings pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cubs vs Nationals Prediction
The current betting odds have the Cubs listed as a favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Cubs have looked really good in their games this season with their 69-50 record overall which has them right near the top of the NL Central. They have been a good road team too with their 34-26 road record this year. Meanwhile, the Nationals haven't looked great in their games this season with their 59-61 record overall which has them right near the bottom of the NL East. They haven't looked good in their own ballpark either with their 26-34 home record this season. The Nationals have been in a bad slump since the trade deadline. They finally broke out of that with a series sweep over the Reds last weekend, but they are still 4-6 in their last 10 games and haven't had great pitching this season. The Cubs have been one of the best teams in the league all season, coming off another series win over the Royals, and they have been rolling lately with their 7-3 record in their last 10 games. The Cubs are going with Imanaga in this one and he has looked good this season. He is 8-9 with a 3.60 ERA and he has looked a lot better in his starts lately. The team has been having more success now, winning 3 of their last 4 games with him starting, and he is coming off a start giving up 1 earned run which is starting to become a common theme for him. The Nationals are going with Irvin in this one and he hasn't looked great this season. He is 2-5 with a 5.37 ERA and he has been giving up quite a few runs this year. He only gave up 2 earned runs in his last start and the team has won 2 of their last 3 games with him starting too, but that hasn't been a common theme for him this season and the bullpen hasn't looked good for the Nationals either. The only thing the Nationals have going for them right now is having one of the best offenses in the league, but so do the Cubs, so look for the Cubs to take advantage of this pitching matchup. The best way to place a bet here is on the Cubs to win this game.
Cubs Nationals Prediction: Our MLB Pick for Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (6:45 pm ET start time) is Cubs 6 Nationals 1.
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MLB Betting Trends
Chicago Cubs: 249-202 (+21.5 units) on the moneyline in all games. 115-110 (+7.4 units) on the moneyline in road games. 195-147 (+30 units) on the moneyline against right-handed starters. 35-24 OVER vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse.
Washington Nationals: 97-127 (-18.1 units) on the moneyline in home games. 59-86 (-16.2 units) on the moneyline after 3 or more consecutive home games. 83-115 (-10.3 units) on the moneyline after a win. 34-23 OVER in home games.
Key Injuries
Chicago Cubs: B. Brown (RP) Sixty Day IL - Neck. G. Hollowell (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Shoulder. P. Maton (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Knee. M. Shaw (RF) Ten Day IL - Hand. H. Milner (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Appendicitis. E. Cabrera (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Hamstring. D. Palencia (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Elbow. R. Martin (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. P. Hodge (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. C. Horton (SP) Sixty Day IL - Forearm. H. Harvey (RP) Sixty Day IL - Tricep. J. Steele (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. T. Austin (1B) Sixty Day IL - Knee. S. Miller (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow.
Washington Nationals: J. Wood (RF) Ten Day IL - Oblique. P. Poulin (RP) Sixty Day IL - Flexor. C. Early (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Elbow. D. Millas (C) Ten Day IL - Finger. M. Parker (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. R. Lovelady (RP) Sixty Day IL - Triceps. K. Waldichuk (SP) Sixty Day IL - Forearm. J. Gray (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. D. Herz (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow.
Notable Quotes
“These are always challenging stretches. There’s days you go in and you’re really worried about everything. There’s days you go in and think you feel pretty good. The starting pitching has been a big reason why we’ve been able to get through it.” - Craig Counsell after his team’s win against the Royals in their game on Sunday.
“The theme I saw was strikes – nine strikeouts – no walks. We're going to have a chance to win a lot of games when that's the line. These guys did an outstanding job of working through this lineup.” - Blake Butera after his team’s win against the Reds in their game on Sunday.
Starting Lineups
Chicago Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) DH
Michael Busch (L) 1B
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Ian Happ (S) LF
Michael Conforto (L) RF
Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
Dansby Swanson (R) SS
Miguel Amaya (R) C
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Washington Nationals
CJ Abrams (L) SS
Abimelec Ortiz (L) 1B
José Tena (L) DH
Daylen Lile (L) LF
Dylan Crews (R) RF
Jorbit Vivas (L) 3B
Nasim Nuñez (S) 2B
Keibert Ruiz (S) C
Jacob Young (R) CF
Statistical Leaders
Chicago Cubs
Batting Average: Justin Dean (.375)
Hits: Pete Crow-Armstrong (128)
Home Runs: Pete Crow-Armstrong (26)
RBI: Pete Crow-Armstrong (71)
Stolen Bases: Pete Crow-Armstrong (30)
Wins: Colin Rea (8)
Saves: Jacob Webb (7)
ERA: Ty Blach (0.00)
Washington Nationals
Batting Average: Andrew Pinckney (.500)
Hits: CJ Abrams (126)
Home Runs: James Wood (30)
RBI: CJ Abrams (89)
Stolen Bases: Nasim Nuñez (40)
Wins: Foster Griffin (12)
Saves: Clayton Beeter (12)
ERA: Trevor Williams (0.00)
Managers:
Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell (3rd season)
Washington Nationals: Blake Butera (1st season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
