Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 09/05/25

It’s Friday 1:20 pm CT, which means afternoon baseball at Wrigley. It’s a weird one because a cold front is moving through the Midwest, and afternoon temps are only going to reach the low 60s in Chicago. And, of course, the wind will be howling. The Cubs had a true off day on Thursday, after winning a series against the Braves at home, and then getting a day off in their own homes. The Nationals swept the Marlins this week before traveling to the Windy City. Still, my confidence in the Nats in this matchup is low, and the Cubs are heavily favored. This is the spot in the season when we probably need to consider more Run Lines to find value, and I am playing the Cubs -1.5 on Friday.

Javier Assad will be making just his fourth start of the season for the Cubs. His pitch count is starting to build, and I expect him to turn the corner and regain his form in the next start or two. If that happens Friday, the Cubbies should be set up nicely, especially since they are facing Jake Irvin. Irvin gets smoked pretty much every time he takes the hill, and it is a wonder that he is still a starter, even for the Nats. Between Irvin and the shaky Washington bullpen, the Cubs should find plenty of scoring opportunities. I like the Cubs to win comfortably on Friday afternoon.

Nationals vs Cubs prediction: Chicago -1.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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