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Chicago Cubs to Play Washington Nationals

Harold washington park sign with a person in the background.
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Listen to the story

The Chicago Cubs are set to face the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in a game scheduled for 6:45 p.m. The matchup is part of a game preview published on MLB.com.

According to the preview, the Cubs have shown strong performance against the Nationals recently, even though the team has made changes to its lineup. A lineup includes the players chosen to start a game.

The Cubs, based in Chicago, and the Nationals, based in Washington, are both teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), the top professional baseball league in the United States.

Lineup changes can happen for many reasons, such as injuries, rest days, or a manager's strategy. Despite these adjustments, the report notes that the Cubs continue to play well against their opponent.

This game is one of many played during the long MLB season, which runs from spring through autumn. Teams play dozens of games against different opponents throughout the season.

Fans following the Cubs and Nationals will be watching closely to see how the lineup changes affect the team's performance on the field this Tuesday evening.

Vocabulary10 words

preview
a short report about something before it happens
strong
performing very well
lineup
the group of players chosen to start a game
Cubs
a professional baseball team from Chicago
Nationals
a professional baseball team from Washington
Major League Baseball
the top professional baseball league in the USA
strategy
a plan used to try to win
season
the period when a sport's games are played
opponents
teams or people you play against
matchup
a game between two specific teams

Quiz

1. What date will the Cubs and Nationals play?
2. According to the preview, how have the Cubs been performing against the Nationals?
3. True or False: Both teams play in Major League Baseball.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

The Chicago Cubs are set to face the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in a game scheduled for _____ p.m. The matchup is part of a game _____ published on MLB.com.

According to the preview, the Cubs have shown _____ performance against the Nationals recently, even though the team has made changes to its _____.

The Cubs, based in Chicago, and the Nationals, based in Washington, are both teams in _____ (MLB), the top professional baseball league in the United States.

Lineup changes can happen for many reasons, such as injuries, rest days, or a manager's _____. Despite these adjustments, the report notes that the Cubs continue to play well against their _____.

This game is one of many played during the long MLB _____, which runs from spring through autumn.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do baseball teams sometimes change their lineup before a game?
  2. Do you think lineup changes usually help or hurt a team's performance? Why?
  3. Have you ever watched a Major League Baseball game? What was it like?
  4. What other sports have long seasons like MLB baseball?

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Chicago Cubs to Play Washington Nationals - Practice English with News