The rumors are swirling that the Mets could be making a change in managers before the opening to the 4-game series between their team and the Nationals that begins tonight. The Mets have not scored a run in 19 innings and only 3 hits over their last 18 innings. The Mets were swept by the Marlins who did not even pitch their ace, Caleb Smith, in that series while the Mets lost with Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, and Noah Syndergaard. Based on current standings, the Mets are slightly ahead of the Nationals at 20-25 while the Nationals are at 19-27. If the Nationals were to win this series, they would emerge ahead of the Mets in the standings.
Of course there are “no givens” in baseball so we will see how all of this shakes out as Nationals manager Dave Martinez‘s future is cloudy as well, but ESPN’s Buster Olney believes something could be imminent with a change at the helm of the Mets with the removal of Mickey Callaway. As the story goes, the Mets new G.M., Brodie Van Wagenen, did not hire Callaway.
Heavy speculation among rival evaluators is that the radio silence of Mets’ leadership re: Callaway status Sunday/today likely related to search for replacement.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 20, 2019
Last week, the Nationals beat the Mets in a home series in Washington, D.C. and this series will line up with Drew Gagnon Wilmer Font going tonight as the spot starter for the Mets against Patrick Corbin. The Nationals insert Erick Fedde tomorrow as their spot starter in place of the injured Anibal Sanchez, and he will face Zack Wheeler. Wednesday’s game matches up Scherzer and deGrom who faced each other on opening day and Thursday’s matinee finale is Matz and Stephen Strasburg.
In the pre-season projections, Fangraphs picked the Nationals and Mets to finish first and second in the NL East. The Cubs could help both teams as they play the first place Phillies in a four-game series beginning tonight.
Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets
Stadium: CitiField, Queens, New York
1st Pitch: 7:110 pm EDT
TV: MASN2; MLB App out-of-market
Nats Radio: 106.7 The Fan and via the MLB app
Line-ups subject to change without notice:
Trea Turner – SS
Adam Eaton – RF
Anthony Rendon – 3B
Juan Soto – LF
Howie Kendrick – 2B
Gerardo Parra – 1B
Victor Robles – CF
Yan Gomes – C
Patrick Corbin – LHP
