7/31/18 Game Preview: New York Mets at Washington Nationals

The trade deadline has come and gone, so it is time for the New York Mets (44-59) to officially begin playing out the string. The Mets enter today dead last in the National League East, but they aren’t even the most disappointing team in their own division. That honor belongs to the Washington Nationals (52-53), who many pundits crowned as potential World Series champions in the preseason only to hit the end of July a sub-.500 team. The Mets will look to add to the Nationals’ misery when they begin a brief two game series tonight. First pitch for today’s game is scheduled for 7:05 pm at Nationals Park.

The Mets will send left hander Steven Matz (5-8, 3.79 ERA) to the mound tonight. Matz had a tough time in his last start, allowing four runs in six innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Thursday, but got bailed out by his offense and earned his fifth win of the year. The Nationals will counter with struggling right hander Tanner Roark (4-12, 4.55 ERA), who has had an absolutely miserable season. Roark did deliver a gem in his last time out, tossing eight shutout innings to top the Milwaukee Brewers last Wednesday.

Local Coverage:

Television: SNY

Radio: WOR

New York Mets Lineup:

1. SS Amed Rosario
2. RF Brandon Nimmo
3. 1B Wilmer Flores
4. LF Michael Conforto
5. 3B Jose Bautista
6. 2B Jeff McNeil
7. CF Austin Jackson
8. C Kevin Plawecki
9. SP Steven Matz

Pre-Game Notes:

• The Mets are 6-4 against the Nationals so far this season and split a four game series with them the last time these teams met at Citi Field in mid-July.
• The Mets swept a three game series at Nationals Park back in April, their only games in the nation’s capital so far this year.
• Matz is 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in three starts against the Nationals this season.
• Roark is 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA in three starts against the Mets this season.
• After sitting out Sunday’s game with a sore thumb, Michael Conforto is back in the Mets’ lineup. Conforto will bat cleanup and play left field.
• Former Met Daniel Murphy (4 for 11 with a double, homer, and two RBI’s) and Mark Reynolds (4 for 11, three doubles) have had notable success against Matz.
• Brandon Nimmo (4 for 6, home run, two RBI’s) and Austin Jackson (3 for 4) have had small sample size success against Roark.
• This is the Mets’ final game in the month of July. The Mets are actually 12-11 so far, meaning they can secure only their second winning month of the season with a victory tonight.