First Pitch: 6:10 PM ET
Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Surface: Natural Grass
Probable Pitchers:
- WSH — Zach Littell (RHP)
- CLE — Tanner Bibee (RHP)
Weather Outlook (Cleveland, OH)
- Temperature: 67–70°F at first pitch
- Wind: 10–13 mph blowing out to left field
- Humidity: ~63%
- Precipitation: <15% — slight chance of light drizzle, but no major delay risk
- Ballpark Impact:
- Mildly hitter‑friendly for RH pull hitters
- Warm air + outbound breeze increases HR probability to left
Injury Report
Washington Nationals
- CJ Abrams — Probable (minor ankle soreness)
- Lane Thomas — Day‑to‑day (wrist contusion)
- Josiah Gray — OUT (elbow)
- MacKenzie Gore — OUT (shoulder)
- Kyle Finnegan — Probable (normal rest)
Cleveland Guardians
- José Ramírez — Probable (hamstring tightness; expected to play)
- Josh Naylor — Day‑to‑day (back stiffness)
- Shane Bieber — OUT (Tommy John recovery)
- Trevor Stephan — OUT (elbow)
- Bo Naylor — OUT (ankle)
Team Records & Recent Form
Washington Nationals (27–27)
- Last 10: 5–5
- Road Record: 13–14
- Run Differential: -7
- Trend: Pitching stabilizing; offense inconsistent but improving
- Key Note: Nationals have scored 4+ runs in 6 of last 8 wins
Cleveland Guardians (32–23)
- Last 10: 7–3
- Home Record: 17–10
- Run Differential: +36
- Trend: Elite pitching + timely hitting; Bibee anchoring rotation
- Key Note: Guardians have allowed 3 or fewer runs in 8 of last 12
Pitching Matchup Breakdown
WSH — Zach Littell (RHP)
- 2026 Stats:
- ERA: ~4.24
- WHIP: 1.30
- K/9: 8.0
- HR/9: 1.1
- Profile: Cutter/slider righty; relies on command and sequencing
- Strengths: Effective vs. LHB; induces soft contact
- Weaknesses: Struggles vs. RH power; vulnerable 2nd/3rd time through order
- Matchup Fit: Guardians’ RH bats (Ramírez, Fry, Rocchio) present challenges
CLE — Tanner Bibee (RHP)
- 2026 Stats:
- ERA: ~3.12
- WHIP: 1.10
- K/9: 10.0
- HR/9: 0.8
- Profile: Power fastball/slider combo; elite command
- Strengths: Dominant vs. RHB; excellent at home
- Weaknesses: Occasional early fastball command lapses
- Matchup Fit: Nationals’ lineup is RH‑heavy → advantage Bibee
Key Player Matchups
Nationals Hitters vs. Bibee
- CJ Abrams: Best matchup; speed + contact vs. power RHP
- Joey Meneses: Struggles vs. high‑velocity RHP; tough matchup
- Lane Thomas: If active, power threat but high K% vs. sliders
Guardians Hitters vs. Littell
- José Ramírez: Elite vs. cutters; strong matchup
- Josh Naylor: If active, crushes RHP; HR threat with wind to LF
- Andrés Giménez: Contact‑oriented; could exploit Littell’s command lapses
Series History
- 2024–2026 Combined: Guardians lead 6–4
- At Progressive Field: Guardians have won 4 of last 6
- Scoring Trend: 5 of last 7 meetings have gone UNDER
Betting Trends
Washington Nationals
- 4–1 last 5 as a road underdog
- UNDER 6–3 last 9
- Littell: Nationals are 4–5 in his starts
Cleveland Guardians
- 7–2 last 9 overall
- UNDER 7–3 last 10 home games
- Bibee: Guardians are 7–3 in his starts
Head‑to‑Head
- Guardians 4–1 last 5
- UNDER 6–2 last 8 meetings
Game Odds
Washington Nationals 8
Cleveland Guardians – 165
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, May 24, 2026
