Opposite dugout: Bryant getting all the publicity, but hardly Cubs' only weapon

Manager: Joe Maddon (1st season)

Record: 27-24

Last 10 games: 4-6

Who to watch: 1B Anthony Rizzo (.317/.443/.574 with 9 HR, 31 RBIs), 3B Kris Bryant (.270/.382/.459 with 7 HR. 33 RBIs), SS Starlin Castro (.267 with 23 RBIs), RHP Jason Hammel (4-2, 2.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP), RHP Jake Arrieta (4-4, 3.18 ERA), RHP Hector Rondon (3.22 ERA, 9 saves)

Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2

Pitching probables:

June 4: RHP Jake Arrieta vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m. MASN
June 5: LHP Tsuyoshi Wada vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m., MASN
June 6: RHP Jason Hammel vs. TBA, 12:05 p.m., MASN
June 7: RHP Kyle Hendricks vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 4:05 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Cubs:

Yes, Kris Bryant is that good. Put the rookie third baseman alongside first baseman Anthony Rizzo in the middle of the Cubs lineup and the guys from the Windy City seem to have a bright run-scoring future. Toss in rookie second baseman Addison Russell, veteran shortstop Starlin Castro and promising right fielder Jorge Soler, and the Cubs have reason to be optimistic that they might shed the curse of the Billy Goat in the next decade or so.

Bryant has done a lot - almost so much that you forget the hubbub created when the Cubs sent him to Triple-A out of spring training for more seasoning. Despite missing the first half of April while tearing up the Pacific Coast League, Bryant has an impressive .270/.382/.459 slash line and leads the Cubs with 33 RBIs. Rizzo is coming off a May where he slugged .638 and is on an eight-game hitting streak. He leads the Cubs with nine home runs and his 10 stolen bases are second to Dexter Fowler's 11. Soler is likely to be out at least three weeks with a badly sprained left ankle that landed him on the disabled list - too bad, since he was coming off a .288 May. His replacement, Junior Lake, homered last night, and the Cubs will need someone to pick up the offensive slack. Castro has cooled off, his .325 April followed by a .221 May and a lack of extra-base power (only nine of his 55 hits are for extra bases, though he has driven in 25 runs, third-most on the team).

No matter how much offense the youngsters generate, Chicago needs more, so a lack of hitting doesn't put undue pressure on the pitching staff. So far, the Cubs haven't done that, at least with any consistency. Their .239 average ranks 13th in the National League, they have the second-fewest hits (417) in the NL and their 205 runs scored are good for only 11th in the loop. Chicago pitchers are holding opponents to a .243 batting average against, the third-best mark in the NL and have the fourth-most strikeouts (450). So they're limiting opponents' chances, posting a 3.72 ERA, fifth in the NL.

You get the impression that the Cubs could potentially take off on a nice winning streak if they'd get the offense and pitching in sync. So far, that hasn't happened. The arrive in D.C. with a two-game losing streak, having dropped four of six games overall.

The Nats missed right-hander Jake Arrieta on their trip to Wrigley Field last month, but he'll start the opening game of their four-game series on Thursday night. May wasn't kind to Arrieta, who posted a 3.99 ERA after a 2.02 ERA in April. But he's worked at least six innings eight times in 10 starts, including four straight appearances. A 94 mph fastball and a 90 mph slider account for about 82 percent of the pitches he's thrown this season, and he's 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA on the road this year. If the Nats are going to get to him, they'll likely have to do their damage early; from his first to 15th pitches, Arrieta allows a .306/.375/.611 slash line. He's yielded six homers in 65 innings pitched, so the longball hasn't been an issue, and has held foes to a .236 average (including a .207 mark against lefty swingers). Arrieta is 0-1 with a 5.86 ERA in six career starts against Washington.

Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada, who starts Friday night, faced the Nats in Chicago on May 26 and pitched well, allowing a run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision. In fact, he's still searching for his first decision after three starts this season and has yet to make it to the sixth inning. He's held opponents to a .182 batting average against, which is good; but in a very small sample size, left-handed hitters are batting .500 in six at-bats. Wada is a master of changing speeds. He mixes a fastball that tops out at 89 mph (which accounts for 58 percent of his pitches) with an 80 mph changeup (19 percent) and 81 mph slider (15 percent).

On Saturday, righty Jason Hammel will put a career 8-0 record with a 3.11 ERA in 10 starts on the line against the Nats. In D.C., Hammel is 5-0 with a 3.18 ERA in six starts. He's coming off a season-high 11-strikeout performance at Miami on June 1, when he allowed a run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. This season, Hammel is 3-2 with a 3.03 ERA in the road, and has posted an overall 0.90 WHIP, significantly lower than his 1.37 career mark. He's gone at least six innings in seven starts and 10 of 11 starts in 2015. And he's upped his strikeout totals, punching out 69 hitters in 67 innings. Foes have a .215 batting average against, with right-handers hitting him at a .199 clip with five home runs.

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks doesn't have a lot to show for his nine starts - only a 1-1 record and a bunch of tough luck. But his last two starts have been outstanding. He pitched a five-hit complete-game shutout at San Diego on May 21 and checked the Nats on a run and four hits over seven innings in a no-decision on May 26. Get runners on and you've got a chance to do some damage: Hendricks allows a .355 average with runners in scoring position. He throws a lot of fastballs - like 65 percent of his offerings, at a 90 mph average - but also sprinkles in an 80 mph changeup and an 88 mph cutter.

Chicago's relievers boast a .239 average against, sixth-best in the NL. Closer Hector Rondon has nine saves, but has blown three opporunities.