NEW YORK – We’ve reached the final two weeks of the season, and the Nationals’ final road trip. Every team remaining on the schedule has a winning record, everyone still technically in the pennant race. And these first three games come against a Mets team very much in the race, tied with the Braves for the National League’s final Wild Card berth.
The Mets have been on a sustained role, but they’re without MVP candidate Francisco Lindor, who is out with a back injury. This is still a tough lineup for Jake Irvin to face (including old pal Jesse Winker batting second and starting in right field) but he’s had some success against that group this season. On July 4, Irvin tossed eight innings of one-hit ball in the best start of his career. (Five days later, he gave up six runs to the same Mets team here at Citi Field.)
Sean Manaea is on the mound for New York, so we’ll see Davey Martinez’s right-handed-heavy lineup tonight. We’re still waiting to see if CJ Abrams is good to go after missing the last three days with a left shoulder impingement. Manaea faced the Nats on July 2 and allowed two runs over seven innings.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at NEW YORK METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 88.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 73 degrees, wind 8 mph right field to left field
NATIONALS
RF Dylan Crews
LF James Wood
1B Juan Yepez
DH Andrés Chaparro
2B José Tena
3B Ildemaro Vargas
C Keibert Ruiz
CF Jacob Young
SS Nasim Nuñez
RHP Jake Irvin
METS
SS Jose Iglesias
RF Jesse Winker
DH J.D. Martinez
1B Pete Alonso
LF Brandon Nimmo
3B Mark Vientos
CF Tyrone Taylor
C Francisco Alvarez
2B Eddy Alvarez
LHP Sean Manaea