Kyle Tucker out as Chicago Cubs open series against Washington Nationals

Kyle Tucker sits out as Cubs open series in Washington

The Chicago Cubs will start their road series against the Washington Nationals without outfielder Kyle Tucker, who remains sidelined with a jammed finger sustained during Sunday’s game, June 1. Tucker is not in the lineup for Tuesday’s opener as he continues to recover. In his absence, Seiya Suzuki will shift to right field and move up in the batting order.

The Cubs’ starting lineup for the opener is as follows:

Ian Happ, LF

Seiya Suzuki, RF

Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF

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Carson Kelly, C

Michael Busch, 1B

Dansby Swanson, SS

Nico Hoerner, 2B

Justin Turner, DH

Matt Shaw, 3B

Justin Turner, who has a career 0-for-5 record with three strikeouts against Nationals starter Trevor Williams, will serve as designated hitter. Chicago will look to manage this stretch carefully, as Tuesday marks the beginning of a 13-game stretch without a scheduled off-day.

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Cade Horton faces stronger offensive test in start for Cubs

Right-hander Cade Horton is set to start for the Cubs after delivering a career-best outing against the Colorado Rockies. Horton pitched six innings, allowing just two runs while striking out six and walking one. The Nationals, however, present a more formidable offensive challenge, with a team 104 wRC+ against right-handed pitching, compared to the Rockies’ 68 wRC+, currently the lowest in Major League Baseball.

The Washington Nationals will counter with right-hander Trevor Williams. Despite a high earned run average of 5.69, Williams holds an expected ERA of 3.83, reflecting better underlying performance. He has demonstrated effectiveness in limiting hard contact and issuing few walks. However, left-handed hitters have excelled against him, posting a .354/.396/.546 slash line this season.

Cubs vs Nationals game information, injuries, and forecast

The game between the Chicago Cubs (37–22) and the Washington Nationals (28–31) is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Marquee Sports Network and 670 The Score. The game will be played at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., where temperatures are forecasted to be 83°F with weak wind blowing out, not expected to significantly affect play.

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Chicago Cubs Injuries:

Miguel Amaya, C

Shota Imanaga, SP

Porter Hodge, RP

Javier Assad, SP

Tyson Miller, RP

Eli Morgan, RP

Justin Steele, SP

Washington Nationals Injuries:

Paul DeJong, 3B

Jacob Young, OF

Dylan Crews, OF

Derek Law, RP

Orlando Ribalta, RP

Mason Thompson, RP

Josiah Gray, SP

DJ Herz, SP

The Nationals’ lineup for Tuesday features:

CJ Abrams, SS

James Wood, LF

Nathaniel Lowe, 1B

Luis Garcia Jr., 2B

Josh Bell, DH

Robert Hassell III, CF

Keibert Ruiz, C

Jose Tena, 3B

Daylen Lile, RF