The Chicago Cubs made one big splash in free agency while losing another, and host the still-rebuilding Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on Thursday to open the 2026 season.

Helicopters fly over Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Red Sox for Opening Day 2026.

Following a stellar 2025 season in which he went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA, Rogers picked up where he left off in front of a sellout crowd at Camden Yards for the earliest opener in franchise history.

That said, Heyward has now announced that he is retiring from baseball.

After 16 seasons where he delivered numerous highlight-reel moments with the Atlanta Braves and helped the Chicago Cubs break a 108-year-old curse, Jason Heyward is retiring from Major League Baseball...

Most notably, Heyward is known for his time with the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves.