The Nationals are 4-3 against the Mets this season, including 3-1 at home June 18-20. Monday’s game kicks off a seven-game homestand for Washington, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park. The hosts have not announced a starting pitcher, while the first-place Mets will have Jarad Eickhoff (0-0, 0.00) in his second start of the season.
Mets Struggling on Road
At 40-33, the Mets are four games up on second-place Washington in the NL East. They have a 24-11 (.686) home record, the second-best in the Majors this season. However, they are just 16-22 on the road and 7-12 against teams with a winning record.
The Mets split road series in San Diego and Baltimore earlier this month before losing the series in Washington. A series win in Arizona May 31-June 2 is their only triumph away from home since May 20. Monday’s game starts a crucial seven-game road trip with three each in Atlanta and across town at Yankee Stadium.
Eickhoff returned to the Majors for the first time since 2019 to start in a June 21 doubleheader against Atlanta. He allowed three hits over four shutout innings while walking three and striking out three. He is 5-1 this season for Triple-A Syracuse, and in 77 MLB career starts, he has a 4.11 ERA to go with a 21-30 record.
Nats catcher Alex Avila has hit Eickhoff well with two homers in six at-bats, while Kyle Schwarber is 2-for-5 with a homer. Starlin Castro, Victor Robles, Ryan Zimmerman, and Gerardo Parra are all hitless against Eickhoff.
Sizzling Schwarber Carrying Nats
It is impossible to be hotter than outfielder Kyle Schwarber over the last week. The first-year Nationals player has three multi-homer games since June 19 and nine total homers in his last eight games. He has 12 total hits in that span to go with 16 RBI and is now batting .246 on the season with 22 homers and 50 RBI.
With Schwarber’s bat on fire, the Nats are 6-2 in the last eight games to get to 37-38 overall. That run has leaped the Nats over Atlanta and Philadelphia into second place in the NL East standings. They have really struggled against good teams at 11-20 against winning squads, but four of those wins are against the Mets.
The Nats will likely call up a minor league player to start the game on Monday. They placed Erick Fedde on the 10-day injured list Sunday with an oblique strain with Stephen Strasburg and Kyle Finnegan already out. Paulo Espino (2) and Austin Voth (1) have made spot starts this season but are better suited for the bullpen, where they both have sub 3.00 ERA in a combined 38 outings.
Betting Analysis
With the Nats not having a starter listed, there are currently no odds available for Monday’s game. When they do come out, take a look at the over. The Mets have played 19 games in 17 days and have a starting pitcher with four MLB innings since 2019. Meanwhile, the Nationals have played 17 games in 17 days and will likely have a Minor Leaguer or bullpen arm on the mound.
Washington has the advantage at home, and the Mets struggle on the road. The Nats are 4-0 in the last four series openers, and the offense has put up at least five runs in five of the last eight games. Look for a Monday night slugfest in the nation’s capital.
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