Guardians bring 1-0 series advantage over Cubs into game 2

Chicago Cubs (3-4) vs. Cleveland Guardians (5-3)

Apr. 4, 2026 at 8:03am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago Cubs, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes of color.The Guardians' early series lead over the Cubs sets the stage for an intense, high-stakes matchup between these two talented teams.Chicago Today

The Cleveland Guardians lead the Chicago Cubs 1-0 in a three-game series as the teams prepare for game 2 on Saturday. The Guardians went 88-74 overall and 45-36 at home last season, while the Cubs were 92-70 overall and 42-39 on the road.

Why it matters

This early-season matchup between the Guardians and Cubs features two teams with high expectations for the 2026 season. The Guardians will look to build on their series-opening win, while the Cubs will aim to even the series before heading back home.

The details

In game 1, the Guardians defeated the Cubs. For game 2, the pitching probables are Shota Imanaga (0-1, 7.20 ERA) for the Cubs and Slade Cecconi (0-1, 12.46 ERA) for the Guardians. The Cubs are favored at -140, with the Guardians at +118 and the over/under set at 8 runs.

  • The series opener was on Friday, April 4, 2026.
  • Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. EDT.

The players

Shota Imanaga

The starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in game 2 of the series.

Slade Cecconi

The starting pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians in game 2 of the series.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to build on our game 1 win and try to take a 2-0 series lead at home.”

— Terry Francona, Manager, Cleveland Guardians

“We're confident we can even the series tonight and head back to Chicago with some momentum.”

— David Ross, Manager, Chicago Cubs

What’s next

The series will conclude on Sunday, April 6, 2026 in Cleveland.

The takeaway

This early-season matchup between the Guardians and Cubs features two teams with high expectations for the 2026 season. The Guardians will look to build on their series-opening win, while the Cubs will aim to even the series before heading back home.