Washington is heading into this matchup as one of the worst teams in all of baseball. With a record of 56-83, this has been one of the most disappointing seasons for the franchise. Injuries and inconsistent play have derailed this season, and numerous questions surround not just the players but the organization as a whole.
Chicago enters this series as one of the best teams in all of baseball. They currently hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League. They trail the Milwaukee Brewers for first
place in the National League Central; however, Chicago still has a chance to regain the lead with one of the easiest remaining schedules in baseball. Even though this is late in the season against the lowly Nationals, this is a must-win series for the Chicago Cubs.
Let’s dive into the Chicago Cubs’ 2025 season stats.
Chicago’s Lineup Keeps the Pressure On
In the first half, the Chicago Cubs had the most electrifying offense in all of baseball. Pete Crow-Armstrong was in the MVP conversation, and Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki were some of the best players at their positions. This season has been a tale of two halves, as Chicago has cooled down significantly since the All-Star break. When this team is hot, they are arguably the best team in baseball. As a team, they are batting .249 (15th), scored 688 runs (7th), hit 189 home runs (8th), on-base percentage of 3.19 (12th), and a slugging percentage of .427 (7th).
Rotation Setting the Tone
Heading into the season, there were concerns about the starting rotation for Chicago. With Justin Steele going down early in the season, fans expected the starting rotation to falter; however, the rotation has been excellent. With Matthew Boyd’s breakout, Cade Horton’s ROTY-level season, and Shota Imanaga performing well, this rotation has been the best it has been in years. The bullpen has improved significantly from last season, helping Chicago become one of the best teams in baseball. As a team, they have a 3.88 ERA (9th), hit 173 home runs (23rd), a 1.21 WHIP (2nd), and teams are hitting .243 against them (13th).
GAME ONE – Friday, 2:20 PM EDT
WAS: RHP Jake Irvin (8-10) – 28 G, 5.42 ERA, 102 SO, 1.41 WHIP, 77 ERA+
CHI: RHP Javier Assad (1-1) – 4 G, 4.05 ERA, 10 SO, 1.35 WHIP, 95 ERA+
Irvin has struggled with run prevention in his last handful of starts and has continued a disappointing streak of Nationals pitchers. 2025 has been statistically the worst season of his career, and his future with Washington could be in question heading into 2026. In his last start, Irvin threw six innings and allowed five hits and four runs in a loss against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Assad started his career in Chicago in 2022 and has performed when he has been on the field. After starting his MLB career as a reliever, he has developed into a reliable back-end of the rotation arm for the Chicago Cubs. Due to injury, he has thrown in four games this season, but could provide valuable innings as the end of the season is near. In his last start, Assad threw six innings and allowed seven hits and three runs in a win against the Colorado Rockies.
GAME TWO – Saturday, 2:20 PM EDT
WAS: RHP Brad Lord (4-8) – 43 G (14 GS), 4.34 ERA, 85 SO, 1.32 WHIP, 96 ERA+
CHI: LHP Matthew Boyd (12-7) – 27 G, 2.94 ERA, 142 SO, 1.07 WHIP, 129 ERA+
Rookie Brad Lord has excelled coming out of the bullpen this season and has shown flashes of starter potential. However, Lord has struggled as of late. His last seven starts have been his worst stretch of the season, with a 6.23 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. In his last start, he only lasted three innings and allowed five hits and seven runs in a loss.
At 34 years old, Matthew Boyd is experiencing a breakout season in Chicago. With career highs across the board, Boyd has earned the role as one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. However, he has struggled as of late. Boyd has posted a 5.09 ERA in his last seven starts. In his last start, he threw six innings and allowed six hits and four runs against the Colorado Rockies.
GAME THREE – 2:20 PM EDT
WAS: LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0) – 1 G, 0.00 ERA, 4 SO, 0.60 WHIP
CHI: TBD
With a mixture of the starting rotation struggling and injuries, the 26-year-old made his MLB debut on September 1. With a 4.10 ERA in the minors this season, most fans didn’t expect the stellar start they received from Alvarez. Against the division rival Miami Marlins, Alvarez threw five innings and allowed just one hit and no runs, as Alvarez earned his first career MLB win.
As the season is closing, Washington is not playing spoiler to every team they play from here on out. With a young pitching staff and lineup, the improvement and development of their top young talent is the most important goal for the rest of the season. With MacKenzie Gore injured, it is up to some unexpected names to provide quality innings and hope for the win. However, the Chicago Cubs have been one of the best teams in baseball and have a chance at winning the National League Central.
