Opposite dugout: Mets try to clinch NLDS home field advantage in final series vs. Nationals

Manager: Terry Collins (5th season)

Record: 89-70

Last 10 games: 5-5

Who to watch: CF Yoenis Cespedes (.287/.336/.610 with 17 HR, 44 RBIs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.284 with 14 HR, 73 RBIs), 1B Lucas Duda (27 HR, 73 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (25 HR, 69 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.60 ERA), RHP Matt Harvey (13-7, 2.80 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (42 saves, 1.87 ERA)

Season series vs. Nationals: 10-6

Pitching probables:

Oct. 2: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard, 7:10 p.m., MASN2
Oct. 3: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Matt Harvey, 7:10 p.m., MASN2
Oct. 4: RHP Tanner Roark vs. RHP Jacob deGrom, 3:10 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Mets:

The Mets have clinched the National League East for the first time since 2006, but they still have something to play for coming into the final series of the regular season. New York already knows it's playing the Dodgers in the National League Division Series, and the two teams are tied in the league standings at 89-70 and have three games this weekend to secure home field advantage for the postseason series. While the Mets host the Nationals, Los Angeles hosts the Padres at Dodgers Stadium, with New York owning the tiebreaker.

That is why you won't see any September call-ups pitch for either the Mets or Dodgers this weekend; these games still mean something, so they need to put their best guys out there. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is throwing Alex Wood tonight, and then finishing the regular season with his two aces Zach Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers are 11-5 against San Diego this season and 4-2 in L.A.

Terry Collins is throwing right-handers Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom against Washington this weekend in what was supposed to a highly-anticipated, division-deciding series. But the Mets were able to wrap up the division crown last weekend, making this series slightly less meaningful. The Mets have won six straight against the Nats and are 4-3 against them at Citi Field this season.

Center fielder Yoenis Cespedes has been a force for New York since coming to Flushing at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but was hit by a pitch on Wednesday that bruised fingers on his left hand. Cespedes is listed as day-to-day, but was left out of the lineup yesterday in Philadelphia, along with many regular starters. He is slashing .287/.336/.610 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs in 54 games as a Met. Second baseman Daniel Murphy is batting .284 with 14 homers and 73 RBIs, while right fielder Curtis Granderson and first baseman Lucas Duda have combined for 52 homers and 142 RBIs.

Syndergaard will start the final series opener of the regular season for the Mets. The rookie is 9-7 with a 3.34 ERA this season. He is 7-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 11 starts at home and 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three starts in September. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the Nationals. The win came at Citi Field on August 2, when Syndergaard pitched eight innings and gave up two runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out nine.

Harvey is 13-7 with a 2.80 ERA in his season returning from Tommy John surgery. After a lot of talk about an innings limit and possible shutdown, Harvey has gone 2-0 with a 5.01 ERA in four September starts. He has pitched 183 1/3 innings so far this season, which is slightly over his supposed 180 limit. Harvey hasn't lost since July 20 in D.C., going 5-0 with a 2.35 ERA in his 10 starts since. He gave up five runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks in the loss at Nats Park. Harvey is 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA in five starts against the Nationals this season.

deGrom gets the ball for Sunday's regular season finale. Last season's NL Rookie of the Year is 14-8 and tied for a league fourth-best 2.60 ERA this season. He is 6-4 with a 2.08 ERA in 14 home starts this season and went 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts in September. deGrom is 2-2 with a 3.26 ERA in five starts against the Nats this season. He pitched seven innings and gave up five hits, two runs and two walks while striking out nine in a 13-7 win.

The Mets are 4-3 against the Dodgers this season, going 2-1 in Los Angeles and 2-2 in New York. The Mets are also 41-40 on the road this season, so perhaps home field advantage isn't as important to them as the Dodgers, who are 37-44 away from L.A. Nonetheless, this NLDS should feature some great pitching matchups between these two staffs, starting Friday, October 9.