Game 92 lineups: Nats at Mets

NEW YORK – After a 3-5 homestand, the Nationals cannot get back to a .500 record before the All-Star break next week. But they’ll have this six-game road tip to end the first half of the season and get close before a much-needed break. For reference, these Nationals are five games better than they were at this point in the season last year.

And look who they’ll face to start this road trip: An old friend in the Mets, who the Nats split a four-game series with in D.C. last week. And look who will take the mound against the Mets: Jake Irvin, who pitched one of the best games we’ve seen from a Nationals pitcher on Independence Day. The right-hander struck out eight over eight innings of one-hit, one-walk ball. Now he’ll have the challenge of facing the same New York lineup in back-to-back starts.

And look who will take the mound for the Mets: Jose Quintana. who opposed Irvin last week. The veteran left-hander held the Nats scoreless over seven innings with four hits, three walks and only one strikeout.

Do we have another pitchers’ duel on-deck for the opener of this three-game series or will the offenses exact their respective revenge?

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at NEW YORK METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, DC 87.7 (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 83 degrees, wind 13 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
SS CJ Abrams
RF Lane Thomas
LF James Wood
DH Harold Ramírez
1B Juan Yepez
C Keibert Ruiz
2B Luis García Jr.
3B Trey Lipscomb
CF Jacob Young

RHP Jake Irvin

METS
SS Francisco Lindor
LF Brandon Nimmo
DH J.D. Martinez
1B Pete Alonso
C Francisco Alvarez
RF DJ Stewart
3B Mark Vientos
2B Jeff McNeil
CF Harrison Bader

LHP Jose Quintana