Slumping Mets look to gain ground on surging Nationals
WASHINGTON -- The New York Mets and Washington Nationals have combined to win the last three titles in the National League East.
But there was not much of a pennant race when the Nationals took the crown in 2014 and 2016 or when the Mets prevailed in 2015 on the way to the World Series. The Mets won the division by seven games in 2015 while the Nationals were eight games better than New York last year and 17 games in front of their nearest foe in 2014.
The Mets will need a good showing this weekend in Washington if they don't want to fall further behind the surging Nationals, who posted a record of 9-1 on a three-city road trip that ended Thursday in Denver with a 16-2 thumping of the Colorado Rockies. First-place Washington scored 46 runs while winning three of four in Denver.
"That is quite a few runs. Guys came together and really had a heck of a road trip," Washington center fielder Adam Eaton told the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). "I think we are going to keep it going (at home)."
The Nationals, who swept the Mets in three games last weekend in New York, will send ace Max Scherzer to the mound for the first game of the series Friday night at Nationals Park.
He is 6-3 with a 1.99 ERA in 12 career games against the Mets, with 11 starts. Scherzer (3-1, 1.95) threw a no-hitter at New York in his last start of the 2015 season.
The Mets, who have lost 10 of their last 11 and six in a row, will counter with right-hander Jacob deGrom (0-1, 2.55). He was supposed to start against the Nationals on April 21, but a sore neck forced the Mets to use Matt Harvey, and deGrom faced Washington at home on Saturday.
"We can no longer sit back and say, 'Hey look, it's ugly weather, we've got some guys hurt.' No one cares. They don't care. The Nationals won't care. (The media) doesn't care. The only thing that matters are the guys in that room," Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters Thursday.
In his last start, deGrom walked six Nationals but also fanned 10 while giving up three runs at home Saturday. He is 2-3 with a 3.33 ERA in eight career starts against Washington.
The Mets (8-13) are already 7 1/2 games behind the Nationals (16-6), whose bullpen ERA is one of the worst in baseball. New York lost at home 7-5 Thursday to the Atlanta Braves.
New York has been beset by injuries in the first month of the season. Infielder Wilmer Flores (right knee infection) and first baseman Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) both went on the 10-day disabled list April 21.
Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes did not start in any of the three games last weekend in New York. He started Thursday against the Atlanta Braves but left the game in the fourth inning with a hamstring injury.
"The concern is getting these guys back. Once we get healthy and get our lineup back in there, I think things will turn around," Collins said.
Right-hander Noah Syndergaard was scratched from his start on Thursday with a "tired arm," according to Collins.
In the last meeting, Daniel Murphy hit a grand slam and Scherzer got the win against the Mets on Sunday night.
Murphy is hitting .386 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 22 games against the Mets, his former team.
"He wants to beat their brains in. He won't say anything, and he won't say anything to us -- it's not like he's in here boasting that he wants to beat the Mets," Scherzer told reporters. "But he wants to beat them apart."
The Nationals' offense has been the best in baseball, and is paced by right fielder Bryce Harper (.418, eight homers), first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (.387, 8 homers), shortstop Trea Turner (.347), Eaton (.291) and second baseman Murphy (.340, 5 homers).
Washington won the season series 12-7 last season against New York.
New York could also face Stephen Strasburg this weekend after he returned from the paternity list after the birth of his second child earlier this week.
"Well, this is the big leagues. You face great pitching in the big leagues," Collins told reporters Thursday. "As I just told you guys and I told them: Look, I walked around that room, there's seven All-Stars in that room. We've got a good team. It's time to just absolutely grind it out, look in the mirror, get ourselves ready to play, make adjustments that we have to make and go out and play the game."