EPISODE: Cade Horton Is BACK, Happ Goes BOOM & the Cubs Bounce Back 10-2! HOST: Brandon “Tracks” Hiatt CO-HOST: Alex Patt — ChiCitySports / Bill Swerski’s Sports Talk Chicago RECORDED: March 28, 2026 GAME: Chicago Cubs 10, Washington Nationals 2 — Game 2 of the 2026 Season

After a rough Opening Day loss — the Cubs got blown out 10-4 at Wrigley Field on Thursday in front of their home fans — the question was simple: how would this team respond? The answer came on Saturday in the form of a complete, dominant, ten to two demolition of the Washington Nationals. Cade Horton walked out to the mound and was locked in from pitch one, retiring the first nine batters he faced before finishing with six and a third innings pitched, four hits allowed, two runs, and four strikeouts. Three Chicago relievers followed him and did not allow a single hit the rest of the way. Ian Happ broke the game open in the sixth inning with a three-run home run off Ken Waldichuk. Miguel Amaya homered and drove in two runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw and Carson Kelly all contributed at the plate. This was exactly the kind of statement game a team with World Series aspirations needed to make. On this episode of Bleav in Cubs, Brandon “Tracks” Hiatt — owner and host of both Bleav in Cubs and Bleav in Bears on the CHI Sports Network and the Bleav Network — welcomes his brand-new co-host for the 2026 season: Alex Patt. Alex is a writer for ChiCitySports, a Chicagoland native and lifelong Cubs fan who has been covering this team since 2017. He is the co-host of Bill Swerski’s Sports Talk Chicago — one of Chicago’s longest-running sports podcasts with over 500 episodes — and brings years of real, passionate, in-depth Cubs analysis to every conversation. WHAT WE COVER THIS EPISODE: — Alex Patt’s official co-host debut and his history covering the Cubs — Opening Day post-mortem: what went wrong Thursday in the 10-4 loss — Matthew Boyd, unearned runs and the self-inflicted damage that cost Chicago — Seiya Suzuki’s knee injury from the World Baseball Classic and his IL timeline — Full Game 2 recap: inning by inning breakdown of the 10-2 victory — Cade Horton’s complete backstory: 2025 rookie season stats, the cracked rib that ended his year, how the Cubs protected him this spring and what his ceiling looks like in 2026 — Is Cade Horton a legitimate NL Cy Young contender? His competition with Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes — Ian Happ’s three-run homer and why he is one of the most underrated players in the National League — Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki all hitting free agency after 2026 — who does Jed Hoyer prioritize? — Alex Bregman’s impact on the infield, the culture and the lineup’s run production potential — The case for this being the best defensive Cubs team since 2016 — potentially six Gold Glove winners on the same roster — Miguel Amaya breakdown — who is he and why should Cubs fans be excited? — Moises Ballesteros and the embarrassing depth at the catcher position — Michael Conforto and Dylan Carlson stepping up while Suzuki is out — Pete Crow-Armstrong’s $115 million six-year extension and what it means for the franchise long-term — Sunday series finale preview: Shota Imanaga vs. Jake Irvin — 2026 season outlook: is this a World Series team? — Three bold predictions for the Chicago Cubs in 2026 ABOUT THE HOSTS: Brandon “Tracks” Hiatt is the owner and host of Bleav in Cubs and Bleav in Bears on the CHI Sports Network and the Bleav Network. A lifelong Chicago sports fan, Brandon brings high energy, real passion and an entertainment-first approach to every episode. Alex Patt is a writer for ChiCitySports covering all six Chicago sports teams and co-host of Bill Swerski’s Sports Talk Chicago, a weekly Chicago sports podcast running since 2016 with over 500 episodes. He has covered the Chicago Cubs for FanSided’s Cubbies Crib since 2017 and is one of the most dedicated Cubs media voices in the Chicagoland area. FOLLOW ALEX PATT: ChiCitySports: chicitysports.com Bill Swerski’s Sports Talk Chicago: Available on all podcast platforms Twitter/X: @AlexPatt SUBSCRIBE TO BLEAV IN CUBS: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | CHI Sports Network | Bleav Network and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts — it takes two minutes and helps us grow so we can keep bringing you the best Cubs content all season! GO CUBS GO! #ChicagoCubs #GoCubsGo #BleavInCubs #CadeHorton #IanHapp #MiguelAmaya #PeteCrowArmstrong #AlexBregman #SeiyaSuzuki #ShotaImanaga #Cubs2026 #NLCentral #WrigleyField #CHISportsNetwork #BleavNetwork #AlexPatt #ChiCitySports #BillSwerskiSports #MLBPodcast #CubsBaseball

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Chicago Cubs Drop Opening Day 10-4 to the Nationals — But Don’t Panic Yet The first-ever episode of Bleav in Cubs arrives on Opening Day 2026, and it comes with an immediate gut punch: the Chicago Cubs lose 10-4 to the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Brandon and D-Nice refuse to hit the panic button — but they are absolutely going to talk about it. What’s Covered in This Episode: Opening Day Reaction — The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Matthew Boyd was knocked out in the third inning after surrendering six earned runs on six hits and throwing 63 pitches. Seven strikeouts showed the stuff was there — but Boyd couldn’t escape jams when it counted. The Cubs trailed by eight runs after four innings and never recovered. On the bright side, Michael Busch went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in two runs, and the bullpen — led by Ben Brown’s 3.1 innings of long relief — held Washington in check after Boyd’s exit. The Seiya Suzuki Injury Update Suzuki enters the season on the 10-day injured list with a right knee injury suffered during the World Baseball Classic. Brandon and D-Nice break down the realistic return timeline, how Dylan Carlson and Matt Shaw are filling the void, and why protecting Suzuki now could pay off in October. Alex Bregman — Can He Replace Kyle Tucker? The Cubs’ marquee offseason addition went 1-for-5 on Opening Day. Brandon and D-Nice put Bregman’s signing in full context — what the Cubs are asking of him, how the lineup looks without Tucker’s star power, and whether Pete Crow-Armstrong stepping into a true superstar role changes the entire equation. World Series or Bust — Bold 2026 Predictions Brandon’s bold call: Cade Horton becomes the ace of the Cubs rotation by June. D-Nice’s bold call: Pete Crow-Armstrong wins the NL MVP Award. Both co-hosts believe this roster — when healthy — is capable of 95-plus wins and a deep October run, with the NL Central more winnable than it was a season ago.

Key Stats From Today’s Game: ∙ Matthew Boyd: 3.2 IP | 6 ER | 6 H | 7 K | Loss ∙ Michael Busch: 3-for-5 | 2 2B | 2 R ∙ Pete Crow-Armstrong: 2-for-4 | 2 RBI ∙ Ben Brown: 3.1 IP | 2 ER (long relief) ∙ Final Score: Washington Nationals 10, Chicago Cubs 4

Players & People Mentioned: Matthew Boyd, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Dansby Swanson, Cade Horton, Dylan Carlson, Matt Shaw, Ian Happ, Cade Cavalli, Ben Brown, Jacob Webb, Jordan Wicks, Justin Steele, Porter Hodge, Craig Counsell, Jed Hoyer

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Subscribe & Follow: New episodes dropping all season long — every series, every roster move, every pitching matchup covered through October. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Wherever You Listen Leave a five-star review and share with every Cubs fan you know. Bleav in Cubs is part of the Bleav Network. Also catch Brandon Tracks Hiatt on Bleav in Bears

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In this episode of the podcast, Jacob recaps the biggest moments from the semifinal and championship rounds of the World Baseball Classic, breaking down how the tournament reached its thrilling conclusion. He highlights the standout performances, key turning points, and clutch moments that defined the final games, while also discussing how the intensity of international competition brought out the best in some of the world’s top players. Jacob emphasizes just how electric the atmosphere was and why these final rounds showcased everything that makes the tournament so special.

Throughout the episode, he dives into the championship matchup and analyzes what ultimately decided the winner. Jacob talks about the biggest stars who stepped up on the global stage, the managerial decisions that impacted the outcome, and how the game compared to past World Baseball Classic finals. He also reflects on what the results mean for Team USA and other top countries moving forward, giving his perspective on how the tournament continues to grow in importance.

Shifting gears, Jacob transitions into a preview of Opening Day in Major League Baseball, focusing specifically on the matchup between the Chicago Cubs and the Washington Nationals. He breaks down what to expect from both teams heading into the new season, including key players to watch, potential breakout candidates, and storylines that could shape the game. Jacob also discusses how each team’s offseason moves might impact their performance right out of the gate.

To wrap up the episode, he shares his expectations for Opening Day and what a strong start could mean for both the Cubs and Nationals as the long MLB season begins. Jacob ties it all together by connecting the excitement of the World Baseball Classic to the start of the MLB season, emphasizing how this stretch of baseball brings nonstop energy for fans and sets the tone for the months ahead.

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