First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
Venue: Progressive Field — Cleveland, Ohio
Probable Pitchers: RHP Cade Cavalli (WSH) vs. LHP Joey Cantillo (CLE)
Venue Profile — Progressive Field
- Location: Downtown Cleveland
- Dimensions: LF 325 ft, CF 405 ft, RF 325 ft
- Park Factor: Slightly hitter-friendly, especially for left-handed power
- Surface: Kentucky bluegrass
- Notes:
- Warm, humid nights boost carry to right field.
- Ball tends to jump in late spring conditions.
Weather Forecast
- Temperature: 72–75°F at first pitch
- Wind: 8–11 mph blowing out to right field
- Humidity: 64%
- Precipitation: <10%
- Impact:
- Boost for left-handed hitters (Cleveland: Naylor, Kwan; Washington: Winker).
- Slightly elevated run-scoring environment.
- Fly-ball pitchers may struggle if command wavers.
Injury Report
Washington Nationals
- CJ Abrams — Day-to-day (shoulder)
- Lane Thomas — 10‑day IL (hamstring)
- Josiah Gray — 60‑day IL (elbow)
- Hunter Harvey — 15‑day IL (lat)
Cleveland Guardians
- Josh Naylor — Day-to-day (hand)
- Steven Kwan — 10‑day IL (hamstring)
- Shane Bieber — OUT for season (elbow)
- James Karinchak — 60‑day IL (shoulder)
Team Records & Recent Form
Washington Nationals (28–27)
- Last 10: 6–4
- Road Record: 13–14
- Run Differential: –4
- Trend: Pitching outperforming expectations; offense inconsistent but opportunistic.
Cleveland Guardians (32–24)
- Last 10: 5–5
- Home Record: 17–11
- Run Differential: +27
- Trend: Strong bullpen + contact-heavy lineup; injuries slowing offensive output.
Pitching Matchup Breakdown
WSH — RHP Cade Cavalli
- 2026 Stats: 3.91 ERA | 1.24 WHIP | 9.0 K/9
- Profile:
- Power fastball (96–98) with late life.
- Curveball is his best swing-and-miss pitch.
- Command can be streaky; early innings often determine his outing.
- Matchup Notes:
- Guardians excel vs. high-velo RHP who struggle with walks.
- Wind blowing out to RF could punish mistakes vs. LHB.
CLE — LHP Joey Cantillo
- 2026 Stats: 4.08 ERA | 1.29 WHIP | 9.4 K/9
- Profile:
- Lefty with deceptive delivery and high-spin fastball.
- Changeup is his out pitch vs. RHB.
- Vulnerable to right-handed power when behind in counts.
- Matchup Notes:
- Nationals’ right-handed core (Ruiz, Meneses, Garcia) matches up well.
- Washington ranks top‑10 in MLB in hard-hit rate vs. LHP.
Key Player Matchups
Nationals Hitters vs. Cantillo
- Keibert Ruiz: Excellent vs. LHP; contact-heavy profile fits well.
- Joey Meneses: Power bat; wind to RF helps his opposite-field approach.
- Luis García Jr.: Hot bat; handles high-spin fastballs well.
Guardians Hitters vs. Cavalli
- José Ramírez: Elite vs. high-velo RHP; HR candidate.
- Josh Naylor: If active, perfect matchup vs. Cavalli’s fastball.
- Andrés Giménez: Contact bat who thrives vs. pitchers with shaky command.
Series History
- 2025 Season: Guardians won 3–1.
- 2026 Season (so far): First meeting.
- At Progressive Field (last 3 years): Guardians 5–2.
- Trend: Cleveland’s pitching depth has historically controlled this matchup.
Betting Trends
Washington Nationals
- 5–1 in last 6 road games
- Under is 6–3 in last 9 Cavalli starts
- Nationals 7–3 in last 10 vs. AL Central
Cleveland Guardians
- 6–2 in last 8 home games
- Under is 8–3 in last 11 home games
- Guardians 9–4 in last 13 vs. teams above .500
Head-to-Head
- Guardians 6–2 in last 8 meetings
- Under is 5–1 in last 6 matchups
Game Odds
Washington Nationals 8
Cleveland Guardians – 128
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, May 25, 2026
