CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians (32-24) continue a three-game series with the Washington Nationals (28-27) on Tuesday, May 26.
The Nationals won 10-2 over the the Guardians on May 25 to open the series. The Guardians lead the American League Central and the Nationals are second in the National League East.
The Guardians entered this homestand after winning six of seven games during a May 18-24 road trip — a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers before winning two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Follow along for live updates thoughout the game tonight.
Guardians pitching change: Will Dion makes MLB debut, works scoreless seventh inning
Will Dion enters to pitch and makes his MLB debut with a scoreless seventh inning. James Wood greeted him with a line drive single to center field. Curtis Mead grounded into a fielder’s choice where Wood was out 6-4 (Brayan Rocchio to Travis Bazzana). Andres Chaparro followed with a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Bazzana, Rocchio and first baseman Kyle Manzardo combined to make the DP happen.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli works around single to pitch scoreless sixth inning vs. Guardians
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli worked around a single by Kyle Manzardo to pitch a scoreless sixth inning against the Guardians. Manzardo singled to start the inning, Daniel Schneemann grounded out 5-3, Angel Martinez struck out swinging and Steven Kwan flied out to center fielder Jacob Young.
Guardians pitching change: Colin Holderman enters, Shawn Armstrong exits in sixth inning
Colin Holderman enters to pitch and works a scoreless sixth inning as he retires the Nationals in order.
Jacob Young grounded out, Nasim Nunez struck out looking and Keibert Ruiz was thrown out attempting to stretch a single into a double. Ruiz lined the ball to right field where Angel Martinez played the ball off the fence and threw it to shortstop Brayan Rocchio, who applied the tag to end the inning.
Guardians trim Nationals lead to 4-1 in fifth inning vs. Cade Cavalli
The Guardians trim the Nationals lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning against pitcher Cade Cavalli.
Steven Kwan singled to start the inning. Patrick Bailey struck out swinging, Brayan Rocchio singled and Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases. Jose Ramirez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that James Wood caught and Kwan ran home to score the first run of the game for the Guardians.
Chase DeLauter proceed to line the ball to center fielder Jacob Young to end the inning.
Guardians pitching change: Shawn Armstrong enters, Codi Heuer exits in fifth inning
Shawn Armstrong enters to pitch and works a scoreless fifth inning. Andres Chaparro struck out swinging to start the inning. CJ Abrams flied out, Dylan Crews singled and Daylen Lile grounded out to end the inning.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli retires Guardians in order in fourth inning
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli retired the Guardians in order in the fourth inning. Kyle Manzardo struck out swinging, Daniel Schneemann grounded out and Angel Martinez struck out swinging.
Guardians reliever Codi Heuer pitches scoreless fourth inning with assistance from Daniel Schneemann, Nationals lead 4-0
Guardians reliever Codi Heuer pitched a scoreless fourth inning with assistance from center fielder Daniel Schneemann.
Nasim Nunez started the inning with a ground out, Keibert Ruiz flied out and James Wood walked. Curtis Mead then lifted a fly ball to center field that Schneemann jumped up and caught at the fence. It appeared that Schneemann robbed Mead of a home run and ended the fourth inning in the process.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli works around single, walk to pitch scoreless third inning vs. Guardians
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli worked around a single by Brayan Rocchio and a walk to Travis Bazzana to pitch a scoreless third inning against the Guardians. Patrick Bailey struck out looking, Rocchio singled, Bazzana walked, Jose Ramirez grounded out 6-3 and Chase DeLauter grounded out 4-3.
Guardians pitching change: Codi Heuer enters, Joey Cantillo exits in third inning
Codi Heuer enters to pitch and works a scoreless third inning. CJ Abrams led off the third with a single, Dylan Crews and Daylen Lile each fly out to right fielder Angel Martinez and Jacon Young grounds out 6-3 (Brayan Rocchio to Kyle Manzardo).
Joey Cantillo’s final line is two innings, one strikeout, two wild pitches and he allowed three hits, four walks and four earned runs.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli retires Guardians in order in second inning
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli retired the Guardians in order in the second inning. Daniel Schneemann struck out swinging, Angel Martinez lined out to second baseman Nasim Nunez and Steven Kwan flied out to left fielder James Wood.
Nationals lead Guardians 4-0 in second inning
James Wood hits a two-run home run ove the fence in right field to also score Keibert Ruiz and give the Nationals a 4-0 lead with one out in the second inning against Guardians starteing pitcher Joey Cantillo.
Curtis Mead walks after the Wood two-run home run, Andres Chaparro flies out to center fielder Daniel Schneemann and Mead is throw out attempting to steal second base to end the inning. Credit catcher Patrick Bailey with the throw and shortstop Brayan Rocchio with the tag.
Nationals lead Guardians 2-0 in second inning
Keibert Ruiz hits a two-run single to center field to score Daylen Lile and Jacob Young and give the Nationals a 2-0 lead with one out in the first inning against Guardians starteing pitcher Joey Cantillo.
Lile walked and Young singled to center to begin the inning. Nasim Nunez flied out to left fielder Steven Kwan ahead of the Ruiz two-run single.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli works around double by Jose Ramirez to pitch scoreless first inning vs. Guardians
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli worked around a double by Jose Ramirez to pitch a scoreless first inning against the Guardians. Travis Bazzana grounded out 4-3, Ramirez doubled, Chase DeLauter grounded out 4-3 and Kyle Manzardo struck out swinging. Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez and first baseman Andres Chaparro connected to get Bazzana and DeLauter each out.
Guardians starter Joey Cantillo works around two walks to pitch scoreless first inning vs. Nationals
Guardians starter Joey Cantillo worked around two walks to pitch a scoreless first inning against the Nationals.
Curtis Mead and CJ Abrams walked, but neither scored. Cantillo struck out James Wood swinging to begin the game. Mead walked and then was forced out at second base when Andres Chaparro hit into a 5-4 fielder’s choice with Jose Ramirez and Travis Bazzana connecting to make the out. Abrams walked and then Dylan Crews grounded out 6-3 as Brayan Rocchio and Kyle Manzardo teamed up get the final out.
The top of the first inning featured four ABS challenges and the players were correct in all four video reviews of calls made by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook. Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey challenged two pitches that were initially called balls and then were overturned to strikes and Abrams challenged two pitches that were initially called strikes and then were overturned to balls.
When do the Guardians play today?
First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. ET.
Where to watch Guardians game tonight?
The Guardians-Nationals game is on Guardians TV.
Guardians promote Will Dion, demote Logan Allen to Columbus
The Guardians called up left-handed pitcher Will Dion from Columbus and demoted left-handed pitcher Logan Allen to Columbus before Tuewsday’s game. Dion will take Allen’s spot in the bullpen as the Guardians second lefty along with Tim Herrin. Lefty Erik Sabrowski was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation before Monday’s game and the club recalled right-handed relief pitcher Codi Heuer from Columbus.
Guardians lineup today vs. Nationals
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: Curtis Mead #45 of the Washington Nationals runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Nationals lineup today vs. Guardians
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Guardians vs. Nationals starting pitchers
Left-handed pitcher Joey Cantillo (4-1, 3.05 ERA) will take the mound for the Guardians and the Nationals will counter with right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli (2-3, 3.86 ERA).
American League Central Division standingsGuardians lineup goes cold after hot run
The Guardians managed just two runs May 25 after scoring an American League-leading 109 runs in 23 games from May 1-24.
“This team has been playing really good baseball for a few weeks,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said after the game on May 25. “We are not going to let one night get us down.”
Rookie Travis Bazzana doubled May 25 and is batting .292 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 25 games. Rookie Chase DeLauter was hitless May 25, but is among the Guardians’ top hitters with a .257 average, seven HRs and 30 RBIs in 51 games.
Brayan Rocchio (.287, four HRs, 27 RBIs) and Angel Martinez (.246, nine HRs, 27 RBIs) are also bright spots offensively. Martinez his an RBI double May 25.
“We talk with them, ‘It doesn’t matter where you are hitting in the order, go take your at-bat,’” Vogt said before the game on May 25. “… Guys are finding some consistency. Our starting pitching has been outstanding and the bullpen has been outstanding.”
Guardians record in May features 7-game winning streak
Cleveland is 16-8 in May, including 14-5 since May 6.
That run of success featured a 6-1 record during a May 18-24 road trip, with a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers before winning two of three games against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cleveland allowed 12 runs during the seven-game road trip, posting an MLB-best 1.43 ERA on the trip (10 earned runs in 63 innings). The Guardians allowed five runs in 35 innings over the final four games of the trip, and limited the Phillies to four runs in three games.
The Phillies beat the Guardians 3-0 May 23 to snap the Cleveland’s season-high seven-game winning streak. Here’s a look at the scores during that streak:
Guardians roster updates on Erik Sabrowski, Bo Naylor
The Guardians placed left-handed relief pitcher Erik Sabrowski on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation before Monday’s game and recalled right-handed relief pitcher Codi Heuer from Columbus.
“We believe that the other guys in our bullpen are going to step up,” Vogt said. “We have got a lot really good leverage arms out there.”
Vogt said catcher Bo Naylor was joining the Columbus Clippers on May 25 after spending time training in Arizona at the Guardians spring training site.
“For Bo, it’s go play, go get it going,” Vogt said. “We still believe he is going to be very helpful for us in the future.”
Guardians vs. Nationals pitching probables
The Guardians are scheduled to meet the Nationals during in the series finale Wednesday.
May 27 at 1:10 p.m. – Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (7-3, 3.25) vs. RHP Miles Mikolas (1-3, 6.17).
Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians live score updates tonight vs Washington Nationals