After getting knocked around Saturday to the tune of a 10-2 loss, the 2026 Nats showed a level of resilience hardly ever shown by the 2025 club, taking command early thanks to a 3-run shot by Joey Wiemer to defeat the Cubs 6-3 and win their first opening series since 2018. The story of the weekend was the aforementioned Wiemer, who had yet to record an out and is tied for the major league lead in fWAR with 0.6, despite playing just 2 games compared to the other leaders, who have played 4.
The club
now heads to Philadelphia, where they’ll take on the currently last-place Philadelphia Phillies (Have to take every opportunity you get to say that). The Phils won on opening day before dropping the final 2 games of their opening series, backed by a strong start by MacKenzie Gore in his Rangers debut yesterday, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing 2 runs. The trio of former Nats at the top of the Phillies lineup were all cold in the first series of the year, with Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber batting .154, and Bryce Harper batting .091.
Game One – Saturday 6:40 PM EST
WSH: LHP Foster Griffin
PHI: RHP Taijuan Walker
Griffin will make his Nationals debut tonight and his first big league appearance since 2022. He showed promise in his 2 Spring Training starts (3 including the exhibition against team Venezuela), posting a 2.53 FIP across 8 innings.
Walker had a solid bounce-back 2025 season for the Phillies after getting roughed up to an ERA over 7 in 2024, posting a 4.08 ERA in 123.2 innings pitched. He’ll make his season debut today against a Nats team he has a 3.56 career ERA against.
Game Two – Monday 6:40 PM EST
WSH: TBD
PHI: RHP Andrew Painter
Monday is Littell’s scheduled day in the rotation, but the Nationals have not announced a starter yet. If he is unable to go, the Nats could roll with a variety of options, from a Brad Lord spot start to a bullpen game, to a starter callup from Triple A with a corresponding roster move.
Painter was on the fast track to the big leagues for the Phillies before Tommy John Surgery knocked him out of the 2023 and 2024 season, but after 22 starts in Triple A in 2025 with middling results, the Phillies trust him to be their 5th starter in 2026, at least to begin the year. He will make his big league debut Monday night against the Nats.
Game Three – Tuesday 1:05 PM EST
WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli
PHI: LHP Cristopher Sanchez
Cavalli only went 3 2/3 innings in his start on Opening Day, being limited by some command issues, but the swing and miss stuff looked on point, striking out 5 Cubs batters. He’ll be tested again in his second career start against a strong Phillies lineup, but one he did throw 7 scoreless against last season for his first big league win.
Sanchez dominated against the Rangers on Opening Day, throwing 6 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. He’ll now face a lefty-heavy Nats lineup that has had success in their 2 games against lefty starters so far in 2026, scoring 16 runs in both games combined.
A Chance To Make A Statement
Taking the opening series on the road against a playoff team from last season was a strong start for Butera and his ballclub, but if they can go into Philadelphia and take a series from their hated division rivals, a team filled with former Nats, it would send a message to the NL East and baseball this Nationals club isn’t a pumching bag for them anymore.
