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 22: RHP Noah Syndergaard vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, 12:35 p.m., MASN

Inside the Mets:

Fans in Flushing are understandably giddy that the Mets are remaining within striking distance of the National League East-leading Nationals, trailing them by only two games by virtue of an 18-inning win over St. Louis on Sunday. When Terry Collins predicted this spring that his team could hang with the big boys in the division, it was brushed off by many as the kind of chatter second-division clubs engage in to try and convince themselves that a season will have meaning. Well, Collins was right - the Mets have played much better than most pundits expected, and talk is turning to whether they'll be buyers at the non-waiver trading deadline next week.

Indeed, if the Mets are going to make a push for the postseason, there's no time like the present. They've got some pitching depth to deal from and some holes to fill. Observers have been waiting for them to fall to the wayside, but it still hasn't happened. General manager Sandy Alderson will be receiving a lot of calls in the next 11 days, and for a change, he won't necessarily be a seller. The question is whether he will fill those needs now or wait another season before going all-in. Considering that a sweep of the Nats could land the Mets in the top spot, the answer seems pretty obvious. But these are the Mets, and the obvious isn't always guaranteed to come to fruition.

But it's interesting to look at the Mets and continue to wonder how they're staying in the thick of the race as the summer heat and humidity set in.

On offense, a lot of the moves the Mets made, a lot of the hopes they had entering the season, just haven't panned out. They rank dead last in the majors in batting average (.234) and hits (721), and next-to-last in runs (317), slugging percentage (.362) and total bases (1,113). Offseason acquisition Michael Cuddyer is struggling - the slugging outfielder hsa only eight homers, 30 RBIs and a .250 average, and left Sunday's game with a knee injury. First baseman Lucas Duda has regressed a bit after last year's 30-homer season to record only 12 homers, but is tied for the team lead with 38 RBIs. Center fielder Juan Lagares signed a four-year, $23 million extension just before the season began and has hit only .252, not exactly what the Mets were hoping for. Versatile Daniel Murphy, whose .268 average leads the regulars, has made the absence of injured third baseman David Wright a little easier to bear, but the Mets miss Wright, who is out with back issues that could threaten his career. Right fielder Curtis Granderson has had hot streaks this season, just not enough of them, though he has a team-leading 14 homers.

One reason the Mets have been able to remain in striking distance of the division lead is the pitching staff. Even though it's dominated by youth, the kids are producing. The Mets enter the series with the third-best ERA in the majors (3.22), the sixth-fewest runs allows (328), the second-lowest opponent on-base percentage (.294), the fifth-best opponent batting average (.240) and the sixth-best slugging percentage (.368).

Likewise, the Mets bullpen has come up big. When closer Jenrry Mejia hurt himself warming up on opening day, then was suspended for 80 games for using a banned steroid, right-hander Jeurys Familia stepped in and seized the ninth-inning role. He's got 27 saves in 30 chances, a 0.95 WHIP and a 1.42 ERA. New York relievers have a 2.71 ERA, third-best in the NL, and a league-low .219 batting average against.

Monday night starter Matt Harvey started out strong in 2015, winning his first five starts. But the right-hander is 3-6 since and has alternated wins and losses in his seven starts since June 4 (under that scenario, he'd be due for a loss). The fastball/slider combo is holding foes to a .231 batting average, but Harvey has been giving up home runs at an alarming pace. In 111 1/3 innings this season, he's allowed 11 longballs - he only surrendered seven in 178 1/3 innings in 2013 before Tommy John surgery interrupted his bright career. He's 34 with a 3.22 ERA on the road this year, and has had success against the Nats in his career. He's 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts this year, 3-1 with a 0.68 ERA in six lifetime starts against Washington and 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts at Nationals Park.

Right-hander Jacob deGrom, who starts Tuesday night, has been the most reliable member of the rotation, with 13 quality starts in 17 outings. He's coming off an outing July 8 at San Francisco in which he threw eight scoreless two-hit innings and fanned 10 (then struck out the side in one inning in the All-Star Game). Opponents are batting .206 against him, but he's only 4-4 with a 2.65 ERA on the road, proving that even the strongest pitching doesn't matter if you don't get some offense to back it up. A fastball/slider pitcher, deGrom has faced the Nats twice this season, going 0-2 with a 3.97 ERA in those starts. Lifetime, he's 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA against Washington, including an 0-1 record and 3.75 ERA at Nationals Park.

Righty Noah Syndergaard gets the call for Wednesday's matinee, an interesting decision considering he's 0-4 with a 4.73 ERA on the road this season (though he's 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in day games in 2015). The Mets' prized pitching prospect has delivered since being summoned, but has yet to face the same opponent twice (meaning no one has the benefit of using the book they've compiled on him). His fastball/curveball combination has been effective, especially early and late - opponents hit only .171 in the first inning and just .143 from the seventh inning on. In his 12 starts, Syndergaard has eight quality starts and has pitched at least six innings nine times. His danger zone is the 76th through 90th pitches, when opponents slash .317/.322/.537 against him.