The set-up: The Cubs ended a 108-year drought with last year's World Series win and 2017's regular season was no "walk in the park." However, in the end, the 92-70 Cubs won the NL Central by six games and are right where they want to be, back in the postseason and playing for a second straight title. Chicago will be trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000. The Cubs' NLDS opponent will be the 97-65 Washington Nationals, who won the NL East by a whopping 20 games (largest margin of any division-winner). Now no franchise compares to Chicago's 108-year drought but the Nats are trying to get over the hump after being knocked out in the NLDS three times in the past five seasons. Adding insult to injury, the franchise has not won a postseason series since 1981, when it played in Montreal.

The pitching matchup: Kyle Hendricks (7-5 & 3.03 ERA) was the Cubs' Game 7 starter for the 2016 World Series and he now gets the Game 1 start here, as the Cubs begin their quest to repeat in 2017. He'll be opposed by Washington's Stephen Strasburg (15-4 & 2.52 ERA), who has been a 'beast' in his 10 starts after the All-Star break, going 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings (Nats were 9-1). Hendricks struggled early in the season, but similarly to Strasburg, he's been excellent since the All Star break. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 starts over that stretch. However, despite a 2.19 ERA, the Cubs are 6-7 in his starts during that span. Hendricks gave up three runs over seven innings in a loss to Washington on Aug. 4, leaving him 2-2 witha 2.67 ERA over five career starts against the Nats (Cubs are 3-2). Strasburg's post-break run has been remarkable, as he's allowed more than one run only twice over the 10 starts in that span. He hasn't lost since August 19. However, Strasburg has made only one postseason start, in the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings in a tough-luck loss.

The pick: Strasburg may only be 1-1 in five career starts vs. the Cubs but he owns a 2.08 ERA, allowing the Nats to win four of those five starts. The Nationals have won the National East four times -- in 2012, 2015, 2016 and this year -- but they have never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Washington was beat by the St. Louis Cardinals at home in Game 5 in 2012, on the road by the San Francisco Giants in 2014 in a four-game series, and at home in Game 5 last year by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Nationals took four of the seven meetings with the Cubs this season and really need a confidence-building Game 1 win, here! My bet says they get it. Make Washington an 8* play.