Game 109 lineups: Nats at Cubs

CHICAGO - It's a big day at Wrigley Field, if you care about things like head-to-head records against big-name opponents. The Nationals and Cubs have not only split this weekend's series so far, they've also split the season series. Yes, each team has won three games. And so today's finale will settle that score. (And if, by some chance, the two teams wound up tied at the end of the season, that would determine home-field advantage for a theoretical playoff series.)

Given the stakes, the Nationals ideally would have preferred to have Max Scherzer on the mound today instead of Erick Fedde. But they simply didn't think that was worth pushing Scherzer, who left Tuesday's start in Miami with neck spasms and has been receiving treatment since. Scherzer threw a bullpen session yesterday, and he's expected to be good to go Monday night against the Marlins, but we should have official word soon.

Fedde, meanwhile, makes only his second career start, hoping for better results than he had against the Rockies one week ago. The young right-hander was great at throwing strikes in that start, he just couldn't put away Colorado's hitters once he got ahead in the count. That will be the key for him today.

Veteran left-hander Jon Lester starts for the Cubs on a warm, slightly muggy Sunday on the North Side. The wind has shifted and is now blowing out to left field, so that could benefit the Nationals' right-handed hitters against Lester.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at CHICAGO CUBS
Where: Wrigley Field
Gametime: 2:20 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, TBS, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, XM 183/869, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 72 degrees, wind 11 mph out to left field

NATIONALS (64-44)
CF Brian Goodwin
LF Howie Kendrick
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
2B Daniel Murphy
3B Anthony Rendon
C Matt Wieters
SS Wilmer Difo
RHP Erick Fedde

CUBS (58-51)
CF Jon Jay
3B Kris Bryant
1B Anthony Rizzo
C Willson Contreras
LF Kyle Schwarber
2B Ian Happ
RF Jason Heyward
SS Javier Báez
LHP Jon Lester