Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals preview, Monday 8/8, 7:05 CT

Today’s roster move: Here

Monday notes...

• STILL NOT GIVING UP RUNS: Cubs pitchers have posted a 2.41 ERA (43 earned runs in 160⅓ innings) over the team’s last 18 games, the lowest ERA in the majors during that span. The team has allowed 12 unearned runs over those 18 games, so...
• HERE’S WHY THEY ARE NOT WINNING MUCH: Over that same 18-game span, during which the Cubs are 9-9, they have scored 60 runs — but only twice scored more than four (in the 15-2 and 6-2 wins over the Phillies July 22 and 23).
• HE’S HOT: Yan Gomes, last nine games since July 14: .357/.438/.607 (10-for-28), a double, two home runs.
• HE’S NOT: Seiya Suzuki, last 13 games since July 23: .094/.111/.189 (5-for-53), one home run, 18 strikeouts.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Nationals lineup:

Keegan Thompson, RHP vs. Anibal Sanchez, RHP

USA TODAY NETWORK

USA TODAY NETWORK

Statcast

Statcast

Keegan Thompson has generally been very good since he was permanently made part of the rotation in mid-May, but occasionally he has a clunker, as he did in his last start August 2 against the Cardinals.

The Cubs are, it appears, trying to manage his innings by moving his starts around to take advantage of off days. Thompson is making this start on five days’ rest.

His only career appearance against the Nats was an inning of relief last May at Wrigley Field, so current Nats have only seven total PA against him. Perhaps that will be to Thompson’s advantage.

Anibal Sanchez, who had a good year for the Nats in their World Series season in 2019 and a bad year for them in 2020, did not pitch at all in 2021.

The Nats signed him in March, and he immediately went on the IL with a neck problem. He was activated July 14 and has made four starts, all of them pretty bad.

It’s when this sort of thing happens that a guy like this pitches against the Cubs and throws seven shutout innings, kind of a lower-level trap game.

I don’t think that’s going to happen here, Sanchez has allowed six home runs in 20 innings in his four starts this year. The Cubs should be able to feast on him.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

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The 2022 Game Thread procedure will be like last years, similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.