Nationals' Unconventional Lineup vs Cubs

**Corey** (0:00)
On March 27, the Washington Nationals kick off their 2026 season Thursday at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cade Cavalli gets the starting nod on the mound facing left-hander Matthew Boyd for Chicago. The lineup features James Wood leading off in left field, followed by Andres Chaparro at first base, Brady House at third, Dalen Lyle as the designated hitter, Joey Wymer in right, CJ Abrams at shortstop, Nazim Nunez at second, Keybert Ruiz behind the plate, and Jacob Young in center. This setup comes after a spring training full of roster surprises, with the team finalizing their opening group just before the big day. Fans and analysts are buzzing over some head-scratching spots, especially CJ Abrams dropping to the sixth position. He's mostly been a leadoff guy in nearly 300 big league games. James Wood leading off against the lefty is also unexpected, since he's usually batted second. Meanwhile, right-handed bats like Chaparro and House slot in early to counter Boyd, though Chaparro's shaky spring makes his number two spot stand out. The bottom of the order looks like a work in progress. Manager Blake Butera's unconventional choices signal more twist ahead, as the Nationals tweak things once the season rolls on. This has been Washington Nationals News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story.