The New York Mets look to continue their win streak against a Washington Nationals team with something to prove.
The Washington Nationals (27-17) play host to the division rival New York Mets (25-18) beginning Monday night in a three-game set, Nation’s Capital Edition.The Metropolitans look to continue their not-so-impressive winning streak of three games, with all three coming against the lowly and downright untalented Milwaukee Brewers.
Sure, it’s still May, and the Mets will look to win games they can win (ex. Kershaw v. Colon, adv. Dodgers.), rather than deem any specific game more important than the next. Still, everyone knows that when the NL East ‘Kings’ matchup head-to-head, you have yourself a sight to behold, with each team giving 110%.
Here we have ourselves a sight to behold: Two powerhouse teams butting heads. Unfortunately, their will be no Noah Syndergaard to go 7-scoreless with 10+ Ks, but New York is certainly capable of stealing at least two if the bats come alive once again.
The Nats took two of three from the Mets at Citi Field in the team’s initial season matchup, with 16 left to play between the two squads.
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Pitching Matchups
Game 1: RHP Bartolo Colon (3-3, 3.75 ERA) v. LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 1.86 ERA)
Colon is coming off his worst outing of the season, getting knocked out after 5.0 innings and uncharacteristically being charged with five walks in last weeks matchup versus the Nagging Nats. In fact, this makes two terrible performances in a row for Colon, which usually means the goods are coming.
Gonzalez owns a career 2.59 ERA in 18 career starts against the Mets, so Colon will need to bring his A-game.
Game 2: RHP Matt Harvey (3-6, 5.77 ERA) v. RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-0, 2.80 ERA)
It seems like just yesterday when these two were the Aces of Tomorrow, with the man formerly known as the Dark Knight having the Flushing Faithful serenade him with “Harvey’s better!” chants in previous head-to-head brawls. Nowadays, one is a bonafide ace and one is a pitcher having a bit of an identity crisis.
Let’s hope the tides begin to turn as the Mets look to give Stras his first loss of the 2016 campaign.
Game 3: LHP Steven Matz (6-1, 2.81 ERA) v. RHP Tanner Roark (3-3, 2.89 ERA)
Steven Matz is 1-B to Noah Syndergaard’s 1-A. He’s an ace in the making. He showed it after missing a start with a sore elbow, tossing 7 dominant innings against the Brewers last Friday. Of course, the Nats and their lefty-hitting lineup will be a tough task for the southpaw.
Matz gave up 7 in 1.2 in his first start of the season against the Miami Marlins. Since then: 6 ER in 40 IP.
Keys to a Series Win
Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
A serious concern for Mets Nation is which New York team is going to show up in this series. It can be Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, no one knows. The team has two faces, one good, one bad.
Will we get the good, locating, methodical Big Sexy or the bad, tabloid-inducing, oddly-off Bartolo?
What about the big bats and offense? Will it be the consistent, steady swinging wood of April, or the dreadful West Coast road-trip bats of May?
How about the 2015 and pre-Tommy Johns Dark Knight or the 2016 slumping, flat Harvey?
Their are many question marks to be answered, but the biggest surrounds the Caped Crusader. Terry Collins was left to wonder whether Harvey needed to skip a start. How about a ‘phantom’ DL stint? Or, maybe a start on short rest will help, who knows?
The team even considered burning everything in Matt’s locker, destroying the bad luck and starting anew…you know, just your average remedy to help a friend in need.
Supposedly, Harvey’s bullpen sessions have been phenomenal. But when it comes time to face those wearing another uniform, his fastball loses zip, and his once-disgusting slider stays flat.
Players to Watch
Daniel Murphy
Ex-Met and current MLB batting average leader (.387) Ted Williams Murphy cracked the spine of Harvey with a 2-run home run in the first inning of last weeks debacle, opening the flood gates for the rest of his team. He finished 4-for-11 with a double, homer, and 4 RBI in the series.
This time around, the Mets will look to stymie what has turned out to be a historic two month run to begin the season for Murph.
Yoenis Cespedes
If you didn’t know Cespy was an absolute monster at the dish, you probably live under a rock. Yo is on a roll. He’s leading the Bigs in home runs (14), second in slugging (.660) and first in the NL in RBI (35).
His 2-run homer in the Milwaukee series finals tied the game at four-a-piece in the 6th inning, and let the struggling Jacob deGrom off the hook in his worst start. Yo mashed the breaking ball at his knees into the seats in left with a one-handed swing, just sneaking it by the foul pole, and leaving many wondering how someone can be so damn powerful.
Lately, the Mets offense has relied considerably on he and Michael Conforto. The Mets go as Cespedes goes.
Game Times, Predictions
- Game 1: 5/23, 7:05 pm ET, MASN/SNY
- Game 2: 5/24, 7:05 pm ET, MASN/SNY
- Game 3: 5/25, 1:05 pm ET, MLBN
Can New York climb up the leaderboards and make up the 1.5 game difference between the clubs in the standings? Tune in and find out.
Bold Prediction
The New York Mets will sweep the Washington Nationals on their home diamond, in doing so taking 1st place in the National League East.
Matt Harvey will toss 7.0 innings of 1-run baseball with 10 strikeouts to his name, out-dueling his once-rival Strasburg.