The Washington Nationals opened the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season Thursday, defeating the Chicago Cubs 10-4 at Wrigley Field.
The Washington Nationals sealed the victory behind home runs from Joey Wiemer, Jacob Young, and Brady House. CJ Abrams delivered a thrilling blow for Chicago, hitting a go-ahead two-run single during Washington’s sixth run in the fourth inning.
Washington’s victory also marked a milestone for manager Blake Butera, earning his first Opening Day victory and the Nationals’ first Opening Day win since 2021. Butera now becomes the fifth manager in franchise history to win his debut opener, joining Davey Johnson (2012), Matt Williams (2014), Dusty Baker (2016), and Dave Martinez (2018).
“Awesome, so happy for him,” said pitcher Cade Cavalli of Butera’s accomplishment. “I know that the work that him and the staff have put in to get us in position to be able to go compete, they’re dialed in. And they do so much behind the scenes for us. So it’s just awesome seeing him get his first win, and we got to celebrate him here in the locker room.”
The Washington Nationals are set to face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in their final game of the two-day series on Saturday, March 28 at Wrigley Field. The first pitch will be at 2:20 p.m.