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Washington Nationals vs New York Mets: A NL East matchup

The Washington Nationals are visiting the New York Mets in the series opener tonight at Citi Field.

Another disappointing season for the Nationals

The Washington Nationals are fourth in the NL East with a 68-81 record, including 32-42 on the road. They have won 4 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins. Washington has a 4.28 ERA, a .257 batting average, a .319 on-base percentage, and 1.33 walks plus hits per inning pitched. CJ Abrams is the best player on the team, with 126 hits, 77 runs, and 20 home runs for the season.

A big series for the Mets

The New York Mets are second in the NL East with an 81-68 record, including 40-34 at home. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets have a 3.97 ERA, a .228 batting average, a .315 on-base percentage, and 1.27 walks plus hits per inning pitched. Francisco Lindor leads the team with 163 hits and 103 runs and Pete Alonso is on top with 32 home runs.

Betting Trends

The Nationals are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games overall and have split their last 4 games on the road. Washington has played under the total run line in 6 of their last 10 games overall and has gone over in 3 of their last 4 games on the road. The Mets are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games overall and 3-1 SU in their last 4 home games. New York has played over the total run line in 6 of their last 10 games overall. The Mets have won 8 of the last 10 games against the Nationals and 6 of those 10 have gone over the total run line.

Prediction and Conclusion

The New York Mets have a 39% chance of reaching the playoffs, which means that every game left on the schedule is of high importance for them. Hosting the division rival who is already eliminated from the playoff race comes at the right moment, and the Mets need to take advantage of the opportunity. However, the Nationals are in good form, winning the last three games. They will try to keep that winning streak alive with Jake Irvin on the mound, who is 10-12 for the season with a 4.19 ERA, 145 K, 172 IP, and 1.19 WHIP. The Mets will start Sean Manaea, who is 11-5 for the season with a 3.35 ERA, 171 K, 164 IP, and 1.10 WHIP. The Mets swept the home series in July and are expected to start this one with a comfortable win.