Game Details

• Chicago Cubs (38-22) vs. Washington Nationals (28-32)

• Pitching Matchup: LHP Matthew Boyd (5-2; 3.08 ERA) vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-5, 3.16 ERA)

• Date: Wendesday, June 4, 2025 | | 6:45 p.m. EDT | Game: # 61 | Home Game: #29

• Location: Nationals Park | Washington, D.C.

Game storylines and notes

The Washington Nationals will continue their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs tonight at Nationals Park with the first pitch scheduled at 6:45 p.m. EDT. The Nationals will send left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore to the mound with a 2-5 record and a 3.16 ERA. The Nationals will face left-handed pitcher Mathew Boyd, who has a 5-2 record and a 3.08 ERA.

Today’s Game Notes are provided by:

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Game Recap
LAST GAME RECAP

Last night, the Washington Nationals were defeated by the Chicago Cubs 8-3. RHP Trevor Williams got the loss for the Washington Nationals after throwing 76 pitches, 50 of them being strikes. Williams now has a 3-6 record with an ERA of 6.03.

For the Nationals, Luis García Jr. went 3-for-4 with an RBI. García Jr. is now 21-for-61 with a batting average of .344, 13 RBI, two walks, one stolen base, and 10 runs scored during this span.

Last night’s game was García Jr.’s second game with three or more hits; his first was on May 29th against Seattle, where he had four hits.

James Wood coninutes to impress as he went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI with his hit, Wood has now hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, and has gone 19-for-55 with a batting average of .345 with five doubles, five homeruns, 20 RBI, 11 walks, four stolen base and 14 runs scored along the way. Additionally, Wood has reached base safely in 14 of the last 15 games.

Washington Nationals Schedule
Up Next…

On Deck…

The Washington Nationals will finish their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs tomorrow evening at Nationals Park. The Nationals are scheduled to send RHP Jake Irvin (5-1, 3.93) to the mound while the Cubs have yet to name their starter for the rubber game.

In the hole…

After the Chicago Cubs series is completed on Thursday, the Nationals will welcome the Texas Rangers for a weekend series starting Friday night with the first pitch at 6:45 p.m. EDT.

VOTE for the Washington Nationals All-Stars!

Well, it’s that time of year again! It’s almost All-Star Game Time! Vote now to ensure your favorite Washington Nationals players secure their starting spot at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. Nationals James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, and Keibert Ruiz headline this year’s players from the Nationals.

Double the Fun

Luis García Jr. has been one of the National League’s top hitters since May 12, ranking tied for fourth in doubles (8), fifth in batting average (.344), tied for ninth in extra-base hits (10), and tenth in slugging percentage (.574). Over his last 16 games, García Jr. is 21-for-61 (.344) with eight doubles, two home runs, 13 RBIs, two walks, one stolen base, and 10 runs scored.

He has also shown remarkable plate discipline lately, striking out only twice in his last 39 plate appearances (5.1%) since May 23. Notably, from May 23 to May 31, he went 32 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout, which was the third-longest active streak in Major League Baseball at the time.

No way José

José Tena has reached base safely in a career-best 15 consecutive games. During this stretch, he is batting .300 (15-for-50) with a .390 on-base percentage, drawing eight walks and striking out 10 times, while posting a .500 slugging percentage thanks to eight doubles and a triple. Tena has also drawn a walk in each of his last five games. Since his streak began on May 14, his eight doubles are tied for fourth-most in Major League Baseball, and his nine extra-base hits rank tied for ninth in the National League.

On the mound for the Washington Nationals
LHP MacKenzie Gore

Left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore takes the mound for the Washington Nationals tonight with a 2-5 record and a 3.16 ERA. MacKenzie Gore currently leads the National League and is tied for the Major League lead with 101 strikeouts this season. His strikeout rate 13.30 per nine innings is the highest in Major League Baseball.

Gore’s 101 strikeouts through his first 12 starts are tied for the fifth-most by a Nationals pitcher in that span since 2005, trailing only Max Scherzer’s marks of 120 (2018), 114 (2017), 104 (2021), and 102 (2019).

On May 29, Gore recorded his 500th career strikeout, becoming the second-youngest active pitcher to reach that milestone at 26 years and 94 days old, behind only Hunter Greene, 163 days younger.

Last Start

On May 29 in Seattle, left-hander MacKenzie Gore delivered six scoreless innings, striking out eight while giving up just four hits and hitting one batter. He did not factor into the decision. This outing marked his 10th start this season in which he has allowed three runs or fewer.

Career vs. Cubs

Gore holds a 2-2 record with a 5.24 ERA (13 earned runs over 22.1 innings) in four career starts against the Chicago Cubs. In his most recent appearance against Chicago, on September 21, 2024, at Wrigley Field, he earned the win by limiting the Cubs to one run on one hit across seven innings, striking out nine.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS BY THE NUMBERS

The Washington Nationals have the following records.

• Day: 11-16 | Night: | Home Record: 13-15 | Road Record: 15-17

• Month Record: 0-2 | Current Streak: L2 | Previous Month Record: 15-12

• A.L. Teams: 8-7 | N.L. Teams: 20-25 | N.L. Central: 3-8

• vs. LHSP: 6-8 | vs. RHSP: 22-24

• White Script Nationals: 3-5 | Red Curly W: 2-1 | City Connect: 4-6 | Blue Jersey: 10-9 | Road Gray: 8-11 | 42: 1-0

Opposition Research 
Chicago Cubs

The Cubs currently sit atop the National League Central, holding a five-game lead over St. Louis. Their +102 run differential is the highest in Major League Baseball.

Since May 10, Chicago has gone 16-5 over its last 21 games, the best record in the majors during that stretch.

On the road this season, the Cubs are 18-11 (.621), tied with Philadelphia for the best away record in the league. They also led all teams in road batting average (.277), slugging percentage (.500), OPS (.841), total runs (189), and runs per game (6.52).

Chicago has hit 55 home runs in 29 road games, the most in the National League and second-most in the majors, trailing only the Angels (56 in 35 games).

Over the last 17 games since May 14, the Cubs’ bullpen has posted a 0.84 ERA (six earned runs in 64.1 innings), the lowest in the majors during that span. Since April 19, Chicago’s relievers have led the majors with a 2.34 ERA..

ON THE MOUND FOR THE VISITORS
LHP Matthew Boyd

Matthew Boyd enters tonight’s game against Washington set for his 12th start of the season. Through 11 outings, he owns a 5-2 record with a 3.08 ERA (21 earned runs in 61.1 innings). Boyd has delivered quality starts in four of his last five appearances since May 5, posting a 3.54 ERA (11 ER/28.0 IP) over that stretch. He ranks in the 82nd percentile in walk rate (5.8%) and the 76th percentile in average exit velocity allowed (88.1 mph).

vs. Washington Nationals

Tonight marks Boyd’s second career start versus the Nationals. He previously won against them on May 19, 2023, while with Detroit, allowing three runs over 5.2 innings in an 8-6 victory. Opponents are batting just .216 (8-for-37) with 16 strikeouts against his slider this season.