Cubs vs. Nationals NLDS Game 5: 3 X-factors for Chicago

The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals will face off in Game 5 of the NLDS on Thursday night. Winner moves on and the loser goes home. These are the three players who the Cubs need to step up in order to advance.

With their backs against the wall, the Washington Nationals stepped up on Wednesday, defeating the Chicago Cubs and forcing a decisive Game 5 of the NLDS. The Cubs and Nationals will now travel East to D.C. with the winner of Game 5 advancing to the NLCS to take on the Dodgers. The loser of Game 5 will be heading home.

Kyle Hendricks will pitching in Game 5 for the Cubs. Hendricks has been fantastic recently and is exactly the guy who the Cubs want on the mound in this game. At this point, it is still unknown who will pitch for the Nationals.

After using Stephen Strasburg on Wednesday, lefty Gio Gonzalez is the best guess. It is still possible that Dusty Baker goes with Tanner Roark, but it seems unlikely. Regardless of who starts, ace Max Scherzer will likely be available for the Nationals out of the bullpen.

Despite the 5-0 victory for the Nationals on Wednesday, this has been an extremely back and forth series. These are two strong teams who will have talented pitchers on the mound in this winner take all game. This game is what postseason baseball is all about, and no matter who you are rooting for, it should be a lot of fun to watch.

In this post, we are going to take a look at the most important players on the Cubs side. The Cubs were underdogs heading into this series but have clearly held their own. That being said, regardless of who pitches, the Cubs will have their hands full in Game 5. Which players are the most important x-factors for the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLDS?