After finding success against the Cubs to open the 2026 regular season, the Washington Nationals are looking to get back to .500 when they take on the Chicago White Sox
Coming off a tough series loss to the rival Atlanta Braves, the Nationals are looking to turn it around, and possibly get back to .500, against the Chicago White Sox.
The two teams are coming into the series on relatively even footing, with Washington sitting at 11-14 to the White Sox’ 10-15. But while the Nationals have had the bright spot of a good offense to hang their hats on, the White Sox have struggled on the mound and at the plate to start the season.
With an opportunity to get back on track, here are the biggest storylines for the Nats heading into their 3-game weekend slate.
1. How will the team, with Cavalli not starting, pitch?
With Cavalli turning in a stellar performance in the final game of the Braves series, he will not be taking the bump against the White Sox. It’s no secret that Washington has struggled when it comes to run prevention in the young season — how will they fare in a series without their ace?
The projected starters for the three games are Miles Mikolas, Jake Irvin and Foster Griffin. While Griffin has been solid, Mikolas and Irvin have struggled to start the season, with Mikolas pitching to a 9.15 ERA.
If they’re going to take the series, Washington will need better performances from Mikolas and the rest of their starters.
2. Can James Wood keep it going?
With three homers in the Braves series and five in his last seven games, James Wood is on fire.
After a slow start to the season, the young right fielder has assuaged any concerns that his slump would last. With that being said, just how far can this hot streak go?
Against a team dealing with their own pitching woes, Wood has a good chance to keep things rolling over the weekend.
3. Can Washington keep up its road performance?
Despite an 11-14 overall record, the Nationals are a stellar 8-5 on the road early on in the 2026 season.
Some of that, obviously, can be chalked up to early-season variance and the strength of the teams faced. But with the team headed to Chicago, Washington will surely look to keep the good vibes going away from home.
While DC fans likely wish they saw more of that success, they surely won’t complain if the road wins keep coming.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday’s games slated for 4:10 and 2:10 p.m., respectively.