CHICAGO – Hello from The Friendly Confines, where it’s unseasonably warm for this time of year. The temperature reached the high 80s this afternoon, which is not the way it’s supposed to be in late September in Chicago. The wind will be blowing out to left field, though, so perhaps the Nationals can take advantage and actually hit the ball in the air for some power.
The lineup is missing Luis García Jr. for the second straight day, the second baseman still bothered by a sore right wrist. Getting the start in his place, though, is a new face: Darren Baker. Yes, the kid is in the lineup for the first time in the big leagues, and he’ll be playing in one of the ballparks he grew up in while his dad was managing the Cubs. That’s got to be a thrill for both him and Dusty.
The Nationals are facing right-hander Javier Assad, who they saw a few weeks ago in D.C. Assad tossed a quality start in that Aug. 31 game, allowing three runs over six innings. Andrés Chaparro got to him for a solo homer along the way.
It’s Patrick Corbin on the mound for the Nats in what looks to be his penultimate start for the franchise. With the team going to a six-man rotation the rest of the way with Trevor Williams coming off the injured list, Corbin is tentatively lined up to make his final start one week from today against the Royals. He’ll look to keep the Cubs within the confines tonight and give his teammates a chance.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at CHICAGO CUBS
Where: Wrigley Field
Gametime: 7:40 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 79 degrees, wind 9 mph right field to left field
NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
RF Dylan Crews
LF James Wood
DH Andrés Chaparro
3B José Tena
C Keibert Ruiz
1B Juan Yepez
2B Darren Baker
CF Jacob Young
LHP Patrick Corbin
CUBS
LF Ian Happ
SS Dansby Swanson
DH Seiya Suzuki
RF Cody Bellinger
3B Isaac Paredes
1B Patrick Wisdom
2B Nico Hoerner
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong
C Miguel Amaya
RHP Javier Assad