Washington Nationals Grounded Back To Earth In 10-2 Pounding To Chicago Cubs

As elated as the Nationals had to be feeling at the end of Thursday’s victory over the Cubs, it would be safe to declare the team is feeling the absolute opposite after today’s game. All of the issues from last season were on display in this contest: subpar offense, atrocious pitching, and iffy defense.

Miles Mikolas, one of the newest acquisitions for Washington, labored during his 97-pitch start, and the results were mediocre. The offense only managed one extra-base hit out of four hits total. Shortstop Nasim Nuñez misplayed what should have been a routine flyout to left field, which allowed the Cubbies to plate two runs in a four-run second inning. The Nationals will have a chance to claim the rubber game of this set on Sunday.

Mikolas Doesn’t Make a Good First Impression For Nationals

Mikolas was presumably brought in by the Nats to provide stability and legitimacy to a starting rotation that won’t scare opposing offenses. After all, he is a two-time All-Star who has made more than 30 starts four times in as many seasons. Durability has not been a concern for the right-hander. Such belongs to effectiveness.

After lasting five innings, allowing six runs (four earned), three walks, and four strikeouts, effectiveness will continue to remain an issue for the Nationals. Things for Mikolas started uneventfully in a positive way. He induced two groundouts and a flyout to Michael Busch, Alex Bregman, and Ian Happ, respectively, to retire the side in order on just 10 pitches.

Mikolas had a much more rigorous time against the dangerous Cubs lineup in the second, though he was not aided by the defense behind him. He did start by striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong swinging on a fastball on the edge of the outside corner, but then Mikolas walked the next batter, Nico Hoerner, with one out.

He allowed Hoerner to steal second during Dansby Swanson’s at-bat, which also concluded with a walk. Mikolas then gave up a base hit on a hanging curveball to Designated Hitter Moisés Ballesteros to juice the bases with still just one out. A sac fly was followed by another single to give the Cubs an early 2-0 lead. Mikolas only needed one more out to escape more trouble.

After a lazy fly, it appeared Mikolas escaped more disaster. Unfortunately, Nuñez botched a play that should have been made by Happ, drifting into and making his teammate and himself fall without catching the ball. A 2-0 deficit for the Nationals doubled to 4-0. In the end, Mikolas lasted five laborious frames, but not before giving up a home run to Miguel Amaya in the fourth and an RBI double to Hoerner in the fifth.

Offense Stagnates After 10-Run Outburst In Opener

Star Left Fielder James Wood crushed a 110 MPH screamer to the opposite field for a home run to begin the fourth, his first hit of the young 2026 season. Nuñez, coming off his error, singled to drive home Brady House in the fifth inning. And that was the Nationals offense. No batter had more than one hit, and Wood was the lone Nats player who graced the team with a hit that came with more than one base.

A lack of extra-base knocks meant few opportunities to drive in runs with men on second and/or third base. Out of two such situations, Nuñez capitalized on the only hit. In total, the Nats mustered five total baserunners against Cubs starter Cade Horton in 6.1 innings.

Quick Tidbit On Game

-Cade Horton was solid for the Cubs: 6.1 innings, 4 hits, 2 earned runs. Dating back to last season, Horton has not allowed more than two earned runs since July 9.