MILWAUKEE vs. WASHINGTON 8/31/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview

Jhoulys Chacin was one of the more under-the-radar signings in the offseason, but the veteran right-hander is among the biggest reasons that the Milwaukee Brewers are in the thick of the postseason chase. Chacin can match his career high in wins when he goes for his 14th victory in Friday’s opener of a three-game series at the Washington Nationals.

Milwaukee, which is 19-9 in games started by Chacin, is jockeying with St. Louis for the top wild card in the National League. Lorenzo Cain, another offseason acquisition, extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a go-ahead homer in the 11th inning of Thursday’s 2-1 win over Cincinnati as the Brewers improved to 7-3 in their last 10. Washington, which had a three-game winning streak snapped in an 8-6 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, has been playing .500 ball for most the the past two months and offering no sign it can make a run at a wild-card spot. Right-hander Tanner Roark has lost a career-most 13 games but has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the past five weeks, starting with a dominating performance in Milwaukee last month.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jhoulys Chacín (13-5, 3.61 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (8-13, 3.95)

Chacin had his three-start winning streak snapped last time out, giving up three runs on eight hits and four walks over six innings in a loss to Pittsburgh. He was superb in his previous two outings, yielding only seven hits across 13 scoreless innings, and beat the Nationals on July 23 with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Chacin has made nine career starts against Washington, posting a 4-2 record and 3.06 ERA.

Roark was a hard-luck loser at the New York Mets on Saturday, coming out on the short end of a 3-0 decision after permitting one run on four hits over six innings. The 31-year-old has surrendered only eight earned runs over the last seven turns, including a win at Milwaukee on July 25 in which he struck out 11 over eight scoreless innings. Christian Yelich is 9-for-36 with one extra-base hit against Roark.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yelich leads the NL with a .316 batting average after going 8-for-15 with three homers and nine RBIs versus the Reds.

2. Nationals RF Bryce Harper, battling a bad cough, is in a 3-for-20 slump.

3. Brewers LHP Dan Jennings rolled his ankle in Thursday’s win and had to be assisted off the field.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Brewers 2