The Corner Rundown: Nationals Blast Guardians 10-2 at Progressive Field

Final Score: Washington Nationals 10, Cleveland Guardians 2

Date: May 25, 2026
Location: Progressive Field — Cleveland, Ohio

The Guardians had one of those nights where absolutely nothing went according to plan. Washington launched six home runs Monday night at Progressive Field and handed Cleveland a rough 10-2 loss to open the series.

The Nationals jumped on Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee early and never let up. By the third inning, the Guardians were already staring at a seven-run deficit while the crowd at Progressive Field sat in near silence after back-to-back innings of long balls.

⚾ Key Performers

• Rhys Hoskins — Went 1-for-4 with a solo homer for Cleveland’s first run of the night.
• Angel Martínez — Picked up an RBI double and continued to provide solid contact in the middle of the lineup.
• Tanner Bibee — A difficult outing for the Guardians ace. Bibee allowed seven earned runs and five homers in just three innings.
• James Wood — Set the tone immediately with a leadoff homer for Washington and finished with four hits.
• Curtis Mead — Crushed two home runs and drove in three runs in one of the best games of his career.

🧢 Game Summary

Things unraveled quickly for Cleveland.

James Wood opened the game with a blast into the seats before the Guardians could even settle in. Two batters later, Curtis Mead launched another homer and suddenly Washington had a 3-0 lead before Cleveland recorded its first out.

The Nationals kept attacking. Jacob Young homered in the second inning and Luis García Jr. added a two-run shot to put Cleveland behind 6-0 early.

The Guardians briefly showed signs of life when Rhys Hoskins connected on a solo homer in the second inning. Angel Martínez later ripped an RBI double, but Cleveland’s offense struggled to string together consistent at-bats against Zack Littell, who gave Washington seven strong innings out of the bullpen.

Meanwhile, Washington continued the power display. CJ Abrams and Mead added more homers while the Nationals piled up 15 hits overall.

One bright spot for Cleveland came out of the bullpen. Logan Allen delivered three innings of relief and helped save the bullpen from being completely overworked heading into the rest of the series.

📊 Notable Stats

• Washington hit six home runs in the win.
• The Nationals scored seven runs in the first three innings.
• Tanner Bibee fell to 0-7 on the season.
• Rhys Hoskins hit his 5th home run of the year.
• Angel Martínez recorded his 9th double of the season.
• The Guardians were held to just 7 total hits.

🎥 Watch the Highlights

💰 The Betting Corner

The Guardians entered Monday night as favorites at home but failed to cover the spread in the 10-2 loss.

For Tuesday’s matchup, FanDuel Sportsbook lists Cleveland around -135 on the moneyline with Washington at +115. The projected total currently sits at 7.5 runs.

Tuesday’s pitching matchup features Joey Cantillo against Cade Cavalli in what looks like a much more balanced game on paper than Monday’s opener.

After an offensive explosion from Washington in Game 1, bettors will likely keep a close eye on whether Cleveland’s lineup can bounce back quickly against another talented Nationals starter.

🔜 Next Game

Washington Nationals vs. Cleveland Guardians
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First Pitch: 6:10 PM ET
Location: Progressive Field — Cleveland, Ohio

• Probable Pitchers:
• Guardians: Joey Cantillo (4-1, 3.05 ERA)
• Nationals: Cade Cavalli (2-3, 3.86 ERA)