Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Game Thread
Follow along as the Washington Nationals start their 2026 season with an afternoon clash at Wrigley Field
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 07: Daylen Lile #51 of the Washington Nationals celebrates after hitting a triple against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 07, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Folks, the time has finally come. The 2026 Washington Nationals season is here.
I am so excited that baseball is back and I cannot wait to watch the boys play. They will have a tough test on Opening Day, facing off against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. The games really begin for Blake Butera and the 2026 Nats.
Butera put out an unexpected lineup to start the season, and I expect that to be a trend. There will be a lot of mixing and matching this year. James Wood hitting leadoff is not a massive surprise, but there are some interesting decisions after that.
While Andres Chaparro can really rake against lefties, seeing him in the two hole on Opening Day is a surprise. Another shocker is seeing CJ Abrams in the 6 hole. He has mostly been the Nats leadoff hitter the last few seasons, and I don’t think I have ever seen him below the cleanup spot in years.