Tanner Roark to Start over Stephen Strasburg in Nationals vs. Cubs NLDS Game 4

The Chicago Cubs still will face Tanner Roark in Game 4 of the National League Division Series after all.

On Tuesday, Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reported Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Roark will start Wednesday's Game 4 after Tuesday's contest was postponed due to rain.

While Roark was set to start Tuesday, the postponement presented Baker with the opportunity to start Stephen Strasburg on his normal four days' rest. However, Baker said Strasburg is "under the weather," according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

What's more, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post noted Strasburg threw a bullpen session Tuesday "in anticipation of starting Thursday."

It is hard to see this as anything but a win for the Cubs given Strasburg's talent level and performance in Game 1 of this series. He posted a 2.52 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 204 strikeouts in 175.1 innings this season and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Game 1 against Chicago.

While he ultimately allowed two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings of Washington's 3-0 loss, both runs were unearned.

Roark was impressive in 2016 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, but his numbers dropped off this year with a career-worst 4.67 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. He also allowed six earned runs in 4.2 innings in his last start, which came on Sept. 27 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Cubs—who lead the series 2-1 and have the opportunity to punch their ticket to their third straight National League Championship Series—were set to start 2015 NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta Tuesday and plan to do the same Wednesday, per the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin. 

While Arrieta would appear to be more of a sure thing than Roark, he suffered a hamstring injury down the stretch in September and hasn't made an appearance since he allowed five runs (three earned) in a Sept. 26 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.