Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs Odds, Analysis, MLB Betting Pick

The Chicago Cubs will attempt to advance to the National League Championship Series for the third year in a row when they host the Washington Nationals as solid home favorites for Game 4 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday.

The Cubs rallied back for a 2-1 victory in Game 3 on Monday at Wrigley Field after they were no-hit by Washington's Max Scherzer for 6.1 innings.

Betting line: The Cubs opened as -145 favorites (wager $145 to win $100); the total is at 7.5 runs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. Line updates and matchup report.

MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 3.1-2.6, Cubs (MLB picks on every game)

Why the Nationals can pay on the MLB lines

The Nationals have the firepower to even this series if they can just score more runs against Chicago's pitching. That may seem obvious, but totaling one run in two losses is exactly why Washington is on the brink of elimination.

Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy went a combined 0-for-8 in Game 3 with four strikeouts between them, and they will need to step up in order to force a Game 5. They will likely need their best offensive performance, especially with Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) on the mound.

Why the Cubs can pay on the MLB lines

Winning Game 3 was enormous for the defending World Series champions, as they will do everything they can to avoid a return trip to Nationals Park. Facing Roark in this spot will help, but so will having a gamer on the hill in his counterpart Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53).

Much like Scherzer, Arrieta was rested until later in this series due to a hamstring injury, and Chicago can only hope he pitches just as well. If Arrieta can come through and give the Cubs a quality start, they will probably be headed back to the NLCS.

Smart betting pick

Arrieta struggled in September, going 0-2 in three starts with a 6.10 ERA. Maybe Chicago will pull the plug on him early on if he gives up a few runs knowing that John Lackey is ready to go out of the bullpen if needed. While Roark is not really the guy you want going with your season on the line, the betting odds are too heavy in favor of the Cubs.

Chicago has not beaten Washington in consecutive games in the previous 13 meetings, so take a shot at the underdog here at sports betting sites to pull off the upset and extend the series to a deciding Game 5.

MLB betting trends

Washington is 1-4 in its last five games.

The total has gone under in five of Washington's last six games on the road.

Chicago is 17-5 in its last 22 games.

All MLB odds and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.