Strasburg's 8-0 run to begin 2016 puts him in elite company

Strasburg's 8-0 run to begin 2016 puts him in elite company
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg continued Tuesday night on the most consistent stretch of his career, winning for the eighth time this season in a 7-4 victory over the National League East rival Mets. The Nationals have now won 14 straight games that Strasburg has started. On Tuesday, he crafted 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs with two walks and 11 strikeouts. The biggest statistic is the run Strasburg is on. He is 8-0 this season, a career-best start. He has picked up from where...
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Opposite dugout: Mets riding momentum following recent sweep

Opposite dugout: Mets riding momentum following recent sweep
Manager: Terry Collins (6th season) Record: 25-18 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: CF Yoenis Cespedes (.298, 14 HR, 35 RBIs), LF Michael Conforto (.284, 8 HR, 12 2B), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (.278, 44 hits), RHP Noah Syndergaard (5-2, 1.94 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (15 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: May 23: RHP Bartolo Colon vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 24: RHP Matt Harvey vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 25: RHP Steven Matz vs. RHP Tanner...
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Nationals ace Max Scherzer plays catch with young Mets fan in stands

Nationals ace Max Scherzer plays catch with young Mets fan in stands
We found Max Scherzer's newest fan! Before the Nationals game against the Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday, a young Mets fan was watching batting practice in the outfield seats when he saw Scherzer in the outfield. Little did he know that the Nats ace was up for a game of catch! Watch the awesome video below. No word on whether the Mets jersey has been traded out for a Scherzer shirsey. Be sure to like MASN Nationals on Facebook for more videos, giveaways, news and more!
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Opposite dugout: Mets aiming for back-to-back division titles

Opposite dugout: Mets aiming for back-to-back division titles
Manager: Terry Collins (6th season) Record: 21-16 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: CF Yoenis Cespedes (.287, 12 HR, 32 RBIs), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (.281, 38 hits), 2B Neil Walker (10 HR, 20 RBIs), RHP Noah Syndergaard (3-2, 2.53 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (2.60 ERA, 12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (11-8 in 2015) Pitching probables: May 17: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard, 7:10 p.m., MASNMay 18: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Bartolo Colon, 7:10 p.m., MASNMay 19: RHP...
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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Viera

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Viera
VIERA, Fla. - There will be far more at stake when the Nationals and Mets for the first time in the regular season in May (and each time through September, perhaps beyond), but any time these two rivals get together on the diamond, it's worth a little extra attention. After the way things played out last year, this has become by far the best current rivalry in the National League East. After a 6-2 victory over the Rays in Port Charlotte yesterday, the Nationals get to host New York in their...
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Nationals, Mets look like the pitching leaders in NL East race

Nationals, Mets look like the pitching leaders in NL East race
As Nationals pitchers and catchers settle in for their final spring training in Viera, Fla., some familiar faces will be elsewhere. Jordan Zimmermann, who came up in 2008 and had a 3.32 ERA in 117 starts, signed with Detroit. Reliever Craig Stammen, a National since 2009, is with Cleveland and Drew Storen, who saved 95 games after joining the team in 2010, was traded to Toronto. So after missing the playoffs in 2015, the Nationals takes aim at knocking off the New York Mets and their collection...
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Meet the Mets, who are playing in their first World Series since 2000

Meet the Mets, who are playing in their first World Series since 2000
The Mets are heading to the World Series, a big accomplishment considering they were two games over .500 in the National League East on July 30. But, they reinvented their roster and finished 31-11 to buzz by the favored Nationals to win the division without drama. The Mets continued to knock off favorites in the postseason. They beat Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers in the NL Division Series and swept the red-hot Cubs in the NL Championship Series. The Mets have been off since...
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Playoffs game blog: Kansas City and the New York Mets need one win to advance

Playoffs game blog: Kansas City and the New York Mets need one win to advance
In search of their first World Series title since 1985, the Kansas City Royals are now one win away from a return to the Fall Classic. They take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 today of the American League Championship Series at Toronto's Rogers Centre. Kansas City has been bashing the baseball and posted a 14-2 win yesterday over Toronto. The top three in their order - Alcides Escobar, Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain - went a combined 6-for-11 with a homer, four runs and nine RBIs. K.C. went 8-for-11...
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Previewing the NLCS between the Cubs and Mets

Previewing the NLCS between the Cubs and Mets
The Mets and the Cubs are playing in the National League Championship Series, and if the Cubs win, they'll put an end to a longtime drought of not appearing in the World Series. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since back-to-back titles in 1907 and 1908 and haven't been to a World Series since 1945, the year they lost to Detroit. The Cubs haven't ever won an NLCS. They are 0-3 when playing for the NL pennant. They lost to the Marlins in 2003, the Giants in 1989 and the Padres in...
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Opposite dugout: Mets try to clinch NLDS home field advantage in final series vs. Nationals

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...
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Nats game blog: Nationals look to Strasburg to prevent sweep vs. Mets

Nats game blog: Nationals look to Strasburg to prevent sweep vs. Mets
The Nationals look for Stephen Strasburg to do two very important things in his start tonight against the Mets. They need the right-hander to keep the score down and go at least six innings to help a wounded bullpen. The 'pen allowed six runs on six walks and three hits in the seventh inning Tuesday. The Mets were able to erase a 7-1 lead. You know the rest of the story. The Mets counter with right-hander Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40 ERA). He has won four of his last five decisions and beat the...
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Harvey, Mets squabbling about innings limit with critical series vs. Nats on horizon

Harvey, Mets squabbling about innings limit with critical series vs. Nats on horizon
This is the sign of the times, pitching-wise across baseball: The Mets and the Nationals are battling for a division title and the big news is how much time Mets ace Matt Harvey has spent on the telephone talking to his elbow surgeon, Dr. James Andrews. The Mets are in Washington for a three-game series beginning Monday. Harvey, 26, the ace of the Mets staff, pitches Tuesday night, but how much will he pitch the rest of the season, and will he be available if the Mets make the...
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Opposite dugout: Mets hoping to put distance between themselves and Nats

Opposite dugout: Mets hoping to put distance between themselves and Nats
Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 75-61 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Yoenis Cespedes (.301 with 12 HR, 29 RBIs), C Travis d'Arnaud (.293 with 10 HR, 35 RBIs), IF Daniel Murphy (.281 with 10 HR, 58 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (23 HR, 59 RBIs), RHP Matt Harvey (12-7, 2.60 ERA), RHP Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40 RBIs), RHP Jeurys Familia (1.78 ERA, 36 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 7-6 Pitching probables: Sept. 7: LHP Jonathon Neise vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 1:05 p.m., MASN2 Sept. 8:...
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Tyler Clippard reflects on being traded as Mets make postseason push

Tyler Clippard reflects on being traded as Mets make postseason push
Mets relief pitcher Tyler Clippard remembers the first thought that ran through his mind July 27 when he was told that he had been traded from Oakland to New York. "My first thought was, 'OK, I'll have to figure out how to get all my stuff moved,'" Clippard said. "I was thinking, 'What time do I have to be there?' 'When should I go?'" His second thought was baseball. He knew he was going to be in a battle for the National League East with his former team, the Nationals, a team that...
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Opposite dugout: Mets leading the way in NL East, but questions still surround them

Opposite dugout: Mets leading the way in NL East, but questions still surround them
Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 63-55 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: RF Curtis Granderson (.249/.341/.442 with 20 HR, 50 RBIs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.277/.325/.412 with 43 RBIs), 1B Lucas Duda (.247/.347/.476 with 21 HR, 55 RBIs), SS Wilmer Flores (.253 with 11 HR, 44 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (11-6, 2.03 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (32 saves, 1.87 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-0 Pitching probables: Aug. 18: RHP Jacob deGrom vs. RHP Kevin Gausman, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 19: RHP Noah...
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Mets have concerns of their own as they try to hold on to division lead

Mets have concerns of their own as they try to hold on to division lead
The Nationals are struggling to end a six-game losing streak, and while they are 10-20 since the All-Star break, all is not lost. Not when you consider that the Mets, who have a 4 1/2 game lead in the National League East, have their own questions, likely more serious than those in Washington. The Mets got a reprieve. They were swept at home over the weekend by Pittsburgh, but given the Giants' sweep of the Nationals in San Francisco, they didn't lose any ground. The Mets have 44 games left...
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Opposite dugout: After latest distractions, Mets need to focus on catching rival Nationals

Opposite dugout: After latest distractions, Mets need to focus on catching rival Nationals
Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 52-50 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 2B Daniel Murphy (.271/.324/.393 with 36 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (.255/.350/.440 with 16 HR, 36 RBIs), SS Wilmer Flores (.249 with 10 HR, 40 RBIs), 1B Lucas Duda (18 HR, 45 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (10-6, 2.05 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (27 saves, 2.22 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 4-6 Pitching probables: July 31: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Matt Harvey, 7:10 p.m., MASN Aug. 1: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Jacob...
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Will Mets' moves help close gap in tight NL East race?

Will Mets' moves help close gap in tight NL East race?
The debate at the start of the season in the National League East focused on one question: Which team - the Mets or the Marlins - would be the biggest challenger to the Nationals in the division? The Marlins had a strong case, but they wilted under expectations, and it is the Mets who have the best chance of making it a race. In the last five days, the Mets have added four players. They went into Tuesday night two games behind the Nationals. The two teams have nine games left, including six in...
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Opposite dugout: Strong-armed Mets remain in NL East contention

Opposite dugout: Strong-armed Mets remain in NL East contention
Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 48-44 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: IF Daniel Murphy (.268 with 5 HR, 30 RBIs), 1B Lucas Duda (12 HR, 38 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (14 HR, 30 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (9-6, 2.14 ERA), RHP Matt Harvey (8-6. 3.07 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (27 saves, 1.42 ERA, 0.95 WHIP) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-4 Pitching probables: July 20: RHP Matt Harvey vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN July 21: RHP Jacob deGrom vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m. MASN2 July...
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Williams on Turner, Barrett and Zimmerman

Williams on Turner, Barrett and Zimmerman
Shortstop Trea Turner made his Triple-A debut Friday night in a Syracuse 9-1 loss at Indianapolis. He was called out on strikes, lined softly to right fielder, grounded into a force out at second base, scored on a Kevin Keyes single, grounded into another force out and got to third later in the inning. He finished 0-for-4 with a run scored. Not a big deal, he went 0-for-4 to start his first of 10 days at Harrisburg. The next game he had three base hits. Amazingly, he had 25 multi-hit games in...
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