Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Odds and Picks for Tomorrow, 03/26/26

The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals will kick off their season at Wrigley Field in an intriguing pitching matchup between Matthew Boyd and Cade Cavalli. Boyd recorded a phenomenal season in 2025, leading the Cubs with a 14-8 record and a 3.21 ERA, while Cavalli returned at the end of the season after rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery for all of 2024. Cavalli did impress in Spring Training in limited action, owning a 0.43 WHIP in 14 innings, along with 10 strikeouts.

The Cubs could be in for some offensive regression this season with the loss of Kyle Tucker and Owen Caissie. Alex Bregman was a big addition to help some of the offense, and Pete Crow-Armstrong could be in line for another step in his career after the 30-30 season, but Chicago will undoubtedly lean more to pitching and defense to lead them through this season. With limited experience against Cavalli, the Cubs could struggle to get out on the right foot in this matchup.

The Nationals are one of those teams that could break out together this season and surprise some people. James Wood, Dylan Crews, Brady House, and Harry Ford are young hitters who could change the future of the organization starting this season, but for this game, Crews and Ford will be starting the year in AAA. In limited matchups with Boyd, the likely starting lineup hasn’t performed well, and they could struggle to string together much offense in the first regular season game of the year.

The Nationals’ bullpen is a bit concerning, given they are projected to be among the worst in the majors again this season. Still, the hope is that Cavalli and Boyd can give enough leeway in the first 5-6 innings to get this one over the finish line.

Nationals vs Cubs prediction: Under 8.5 (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.