Nationals Accomplished Plenty of History With Opening Day Win Over Cubs
In this story:
The Washington Nationals got their 2026 season off on the right foot.
They went into Wrigley Field and beat the Chicago Cubs, 10-4, in what was an emphatic win over a playoff contender and division favorite in the NL Central. Despite questions surrounding this offense and pitching staff, the Nationals were able to explode at the plate and ride their relief staff to the first victory of the Paul Toboni and Blake Butera era.
It was also a momentous day on Thursday, as Washington accomplished some history with their singular win that marked the entry point of the new period of this franchise.
Most Runs Ever Scored on Opening Day
Spring training was not a good look for this offense, but that was the latest example of why things need to be taken with a grain of salt during that ramp-up period. Because, on Thursday, the Nationals crushed the ball hard and hit three over the fence en route to their most Opening Day runs scored in franchise history.
They passed the previous mark of nine that was set in 2014, when Washington won in extra innings against the New York Mets in what was Matt Williams' managerial debut. That year, the Nationals went 99-66 and finished first place in the NL East before losing in the NLDS.
While that type of season likely won't come this year, seeing Washington score 10 runs in what was Butera's managerial debut was an awesome sight.
First Opening Day Win Since 2021
It's been a long time since the Nationals won on Opening Day. In fact, the last time they accomplished that was back in 2021, when they beat the Atlanta Braves by a score of 6-5. Things didn't quite go as planned that year for Washington, as they lost five games in a row after they won the opener and finished with a 65-97 record overall.
There's no telling what direction this season is going to take for the Nationals. However, some similar type of action could occur later in the year when it comes to the trade deadline. That season, Washington decided to ship both Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was a major step in the organization starting the rebuild they're currently in.
Nationals Win First Opening Day Road Game Since 2018
In addition to winning their first Opening Day game since 2021, Thursday was also the first time the Nationals were able to secure a season-opening victory on the road since 2018 when they beat the Cincinnati Reds, 2-0.
Washington went on to sweep that three-game set, which is something they'll aim to do at Wrigley Field this year. That season was also the precursor to them winning the World Series the following year in 2019, which nobody saw coming after they finished the 2018 campaign with an 82-80 record.
All in all, it was a successful day at the ballpark for the Nationals on Thursday, as this young team led by their first-time manager was able to accomplish plenty of history with their victory.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai