Washington Nationals: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Nationals Remove CJ Abrams From Lineup After Unfortunate Personal News

The 2026 season has just begun, but the Washington Nationals' lineup is already missing one key figure after some unfortunate news. Shortstop CJ Abrams was not in Saturday's lineup against right-hander Cade Horton and the Cubs because there was a death in his family.

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The positives and many negatives from the Washington Nationals 10-2 defeat to the Cubs

After a great Opening Day win for the Nationals, they got a reality check with a rough 10-2 defeat this afternoon. It was a sloppy defensive performance where the Nats struggled with the sun and wind.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 28

Blake Butera Addresses Lack of Hustle by CJ Abrams as Nationals Try to Build Culture

There was plenty to celebrate following the Washington Nationals' Opening Day win on Thursday. The historic showing this young group put together got the season off to a surprising start, and the hope is that what transpired during the opener can be present throughout the rest of the campaign.

The Rochester Red Wings will be fun to watch for Washington Nationals fans

The Rochester Red Wings played their first game of the season last night, and it was a thrilling 8-7 victory. The Nats Triple-A affiliate is full of exciting talent, and they showed what they could do last night.

Pete Crow-Armstrong News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Youngest MLB 30/30 seasons' quiz

How many of the MLB players to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season before turning 25 years old can you name in five minutes?

The 'MLB 30/30 Club members' quiz

The 'MLB active hit leaders' quiz

The 'Last 100-RBI season by MLB team' quiz

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 28

What to Monitor When Nationals Continue Their Weekend Series vs. Cubs

The Washington Nationals are back in action on Saturday. This comes after they got their season off to a 1-0 start following a historic performance on Opening Day when they scored 10 runs.

Athletics News / Yardbarker

One storyline to follow for every MLB team in 2026

As Spring Training opens for 2026, all 30 teams have high hopes and big questions. These are the storylines to follow for each team heading into Opening Day.

Red Sox to sign former Yankees relief pitcher ahead of Opening Day

MLB announces 80-game suspension for Johan Rojas

Mets star gets help from former teammate after clubhouse issues

Three comeback arms to watch in National League East

Five X factors in the AL Central

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 27

This Potential Nationals Draft Target Could Become 'Best Current Outfield Prospect'

The 2026 MLB draft doesn't take place until July 11, but the Washington Nationals brass is hard at work evaluating who they are going to take with their pick at No.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 27

Nationals Bullpen Confident in Themselves After Good Showing During Opener

The Washington Nationals are 1-0 to start the 2026 MLB season. They put together a historic showing on Thursday when they scored 10 runs against the Chicago Cubs to notch the first win of the Paul Toboni and Blake Butera era.

Blake Butera News / Federal Baseball / March 27

Blake Butera is going to keep Washington Nationals fans on their toes this season

When Nationals fans saw the lineup card yesterday, many of them scratched their heads. It was an unconventional alignment, with Andres Chaparro hitting second and CJ Abrams hitting sixth.

MLB News / Field Level Media / March 27

Under new management, Nationals out to keep pressure on Cubs

Washington Nationals rookie manager Blake Butera basked in the achievement of winning his first game Thursday. Once his players let him be, that is. "They grabbed me and next thing you know, there was a lot of liquids all over me in the shower," Butera said.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / March 27

Three takeaways from the Washington Nationals Opening Day win over the Cubs

After the Nats big Opening Day win over the Cubs, I wanted to sit back and see what we can take away from this performance. Obviously it is just one game, but we are always looking for trends.

MLB News / Total Apex Sports / March 26

Washington Nationals Power Past Chicago Cubs On Opening Day At Wrigley Field, 10-4

The Washington Nationals are not expected by many to contend for a postseason berth this season. But after a 10-4 clubbing of the Chicago Cubs on the road, the Nats, at least for one game out of 162, can shout, “How about that?!” to the naysayers.

Athletics News / Yardbarker

25 MLB players that could be traded during the 2026 season

The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and it is never too early to start thinking about how it might unfold. Seemingly, every year, we have a decent handle on who should contend and who is likely to struggle, which makes looking ahead to the trade deadline inevitable.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / March 26

Washington Nationals powered to a 10-4 Opening Day win by unlikely heroes

The Washington Nationals started their season off on the right foot with a statement 10-4 win over the Cubs. While the bats were quiet during Spring Training, they came to play in the season opener.

Washington Nationals News / Field Level Media / March 26

Newcomer Joey Wiemer helps Nationals roll past Cubs

Joey Wiemer, Jacob Young and Brady House homered and the bullpen provided 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief to boost the visiting Washington Nationals to a 10-4 Opening Day victory against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most Elite Eight appearances' quiz

The 'Nine three-pointer NBA games' quiz

The 'Youngest MLB 30/30 seasons' quiz

The 'Active MLB 3+ 30-homer seasons' quiz

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 26

Nationals Explode on Offense to Secure Opening Day Win

The Washington Nationals got their 2026 season underway on Thursday, and despite being heavy underdogs against the playoff-hopeful Chicago Cubs, it was the Nationals who came out on top in the opener 10-4.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 26

Nationals Unveil Strange Starting Lineup for Opening Day Matchup Against Cubs

The Washington Nationals will get their 2026 season underway at 2:20 p.m. ET on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The date and time had been known, then the Opening Day starter was revealed.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / March 26

Final thoughts before the Washington Nationals season kicks off

The Washington Nationals season begins in a matter of hours, so I wanted to share some finals thoughts before the games begin. While expectations are not high in the nation’s capital, there is still plenty of intrigue.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 26

High-Upside Nationals Prospect Could Start 2026 Back in Rookie Ball

When looking at the farm system of the Washington Nationals, one of the major things that stands out is how many talented infielders they have at the lower levels of the minors.

Washington Nationals News / Total Apex Sports / March 25

Washington Nationals Staring In The Face Of Another Dismal Season

In 2019, the Washington Nationals completed the improbable of bringing to Washington D.C. its first World Series championship. It was an incredible story and there had to be some belief that the franchise’s future was bright and rosy.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / March 25

Nationals Set Their Starting Rotation for Opening Series Against Cubs

The 2026 Opening Day roster is finalized for the Washington Nationals. There weren't a ton of surprises when it came to the make-up of this 26-man group based on all the camp cuts and minor league options that occurred over the course of spring training.

Josiah Gray News / MLB Trade Rumors / March 23

Josiah Gray Diagnosed With Flexor Strain

Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, the team announced. He has been placed on the 60-day injured list and will miss at least the first two months of the season.

Cionel Perez News / MLB Trade Rumors / March 23

Nationals To Select Cionel Pérez

Left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez has been informed that he’s made the Nationals’ Opening Day roster, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. Pérez is in camp as a non-roster invitee, so the Nats will need to open a 40-man roster spot in order to formally add him to the club.