Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction for Saturday March 28 2026
Use Code WWWC The Washington Nationals (1–0) head to Chicago, Illinois on Saturday for their next game against the Chicago Cubs (0–1). Washington opened the season in a big way on Thursday, rolling to a 10–4 win at Wrigley Field and putting a damper on the Cubs’ Opening Day celebration. Get involved in the action with our free MLB picks.
Washington vs. Chicago Game Information
- March 28, 2026
- 2:20pm EST
- Wrigley Field
- ESPN Unlimited/MLB.TV/Marquee Sports Network/Nationals.TV
Chicago Form & Recent Results
Chicago heads into this matchup trying to shake off a rough start to the season after dropping their Opening Day game to the Nationals, 10–4, on Thursday. Even in the loss, there were a few bright spots at the plate. Michael Busch had a strong game, going 3-for-4 while scoring twice and driving in a run, showing the same kind of production that made him such a key bat last year. During the 2025 season, Busch paced the Cubs in home runs with 34, giving Chicago much-needed power in the middle of the lineup. Seiya Suzuki was right behind him with 32 homers, and he also set the tone when it came to run production, leading the team with 103 RBIs. Meanwhile, Nico Hoerner stood out as the club’s most consistent hitter, finishing with a .297 batting average and regularly sparking the offense.
Still, the overall performance in Thursday’s game left a sour taste, especially for the crowd at Wrigley Field. Starter Matthew Boyd struggled to settle in, giving up six hits and six earned runs in just 3.2 innings, even though he did manage to strike out seven and only walked one. The early damage put Chicago in a hole they couldn’t climb out of, and their bats weren’t able to keep pace with a Nationals group that came in with something to prove. Now the Cubs will try to respond and level the series on Saturday, with Cade Horton set to take the mound as they look for a steadier start and a sharper all-around effort.
Washington Form & Recent Results
Washington heads into Saturday afternoon’s game feeling good after a convincing 10–4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday. In that game, Brady House was right in the middle of the action, finishing 2-for-5 with a home run while also scoring twice and driving in two runs. Looking back at last season, James Wood was the Nationals’ biggest power threat, leading the team with 31 home runs, and he also paced Washington in run production with 94 RBIs. Josh Bell, who has since moved on and is now with the Minnesota Twins, finished second on the team in homers with 22 a year ago. Meanwhile, CJ Abrams stood out as Washington’s most consistent hitter by average, leading the club with a .257 mark last season.
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On the mound, Cade Cavalli didn’t go deep into the game, but he did enough to put Washington in a strong position. Over 3.2 innings, he gave up two earned runs on three hits, issued three walks, and still managed to strike out five. After Cavalli exited, the Nationals’ bullpen took over and handled the rest, keeping Chicago’s lineup quiet and preventing any real momentum from building. Washington will try to carry that same formula into the second game of the series with steady pitching, timely hitting, and pressure from start to finish as they aim to spoil the home crowd again and grab another win at Wrigley.
Key Stats
- Washington’s Joey Wiemer on Thursday: 3-for-3, 1 home run, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong on Thursday: 2-for-5, 2 RBIs
Betting Odds & Market Overview:
- CHC -219 / WSH +179; O/U 9.5
Washington vs. Chicago Picks and Prediction
After dropping their season opener, the Cubs will try to turn that disappointment into fuel as they take the field Saturday looking to even the series with the Nationals. Washington, meanwhile, can lean on Thursday’s win as early proof that the talk about them being one of baseball’s weakest teams this season might be overblown. Their bats came alive in a big way in the first game, and now Chicago’s pitching staff will be focused on slowing that lineup down, regaining control of the game, and picking up the Cubs’ first win of the season. Final Score Prediction, Chicago Cubs win 10-2.
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