Zack Littell is scheduled to start Game One for the Washington Nationals on Monday, May 26, 2026 at 6:10 PM ET, opposing Tanner Bibee for the Cleveland Guardians at the Guardians' home field.
The series opening lines matter: the Guardians arrived at 32-23 with a plus-23 run differential, while the Nationals came in 27-27 with a minus-14 run differential. Game Two is set for Tuesday at 6:10 PM ET with Cade Cavalli starting for Washington and Joey Cantillo for Cleveland. Game Three follows Wednesday at 1:10 PM ET with Miles Mikolas taking the ball for the Nationals against Gavin Williams for the Guardians.
This matchup layers clear statistical edges. The Nationals rank fifth in wRC+ at 108, powered by Joey Weimer (159 wRC+), CJ Abrams and James Wood. Washington also ranks second in baserunning runs above average at 5.2. By contrast the Guardians sit 17th in wRC+ at 99 and rely on hitters such as Travis Bazzana (139 wRC+), Chase DeLauter and Brayan Rocchio for offense.
On the mound and behind it, Cleveland holds advantages. The Guardians rank sixth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.46 and 13th in bullpen ERA at 3.69; the Nationals are 28th in starting ERA at 4.87 and 26th in bullpen ERA at 4.77. Defensively the clubs are both in negative territory but Cleveland is better on that metric as well, with the Guardians 11th at minus-5.3 and Washington 21st at minus-10.6.
This is Memorial Day baseball at the Guardians' home field, and the Guardians need to score a lot to win the series.
The friction here is obvious: Washington’s lineup and baserunning give it a path to win despite mediocre pitching, while Cleveland’s pitching and relatively stronger defense could shut that plan down if the Guardians can push enough runs across. Washington’s offensive depth—top-five wRC+—is paired with a baserunning edge that can manufacture runs without big innings; Cleveland’s staff is built to limit those innings but will ask its offense to do more than it has so far this season.
Matchups sharpen the question. Littell’s Game One start will set the tone against Bibee; Cavalli and Cantillo in Game Two present a likely duel of approaches; Mikolas versus Gavin Williams in Game Three will shape how either club closes the short series. The Guardians’ better starting ERA and cleaner bullpen mean they can afford low-scoring games—if they can convert opportunities into runs.
Conclusion: Cleveland’s pitching makes it the safer bet on paper, but Washington’s top-five offense and elite baserunning create a real counterweight; unless the Guardians revive their offense and score in stretches, the Nationals arrive with the metrics that can win a short series on the road.
