The series continues Wednesday night with the second game at Citi Field between the Mets and Nationals.
David Peterson is scheduled to pitch for New York, while Jake Irvin will take the mound for Washington.
Mets vs. Nationals prediction, preview
David Peterson is having a fantastic season for the Mets. Peterson was a fringe starter, occasionally transitioning to a bullpen role, for the Mets for several seasons. However, he broke through in 2024 and established himself as a reliable starter. Last season, Peterson started 21 games for the Mets, finishing the season with a 2.90 ERA. He was set to be an integral part of their rotation in 2025, and he, along with the rest of the Mets’ rotation, has exceeded expectations. The Mets have the best team ERA in baseball, and Peterson has played his part in that, sporting a 2.80 ERA. In games that David Peterson starts at Citi Field, the Mets are 7-0 this season.
Jake Irvin is young and improving every season for the Nationals. He has also been incredibly reliable for the Nationals, starting more games than any pitcher in the National League last season. Through 13 starts this season, he has a 4.02 ERA, which would be the best mark of his career if he can sustain this level. While it isn’t exceptional by any means, Irvin continues to be a dependable starter who will give Washington a few innings of solid work every time his turn comes up in the rotation. The only concern for Irvin is that his strikeout numbers have dropped significantly this season. He averaged 7.4 and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings in his first two seasons. So far this season, he is averaging just 5.7 strikeouts per nine innings. The Mets are a disciplined team at the plate who don’t strike out very often. So it should be tough for Irvin to get strikeouts against that lineup. That being said, Irvin has faced the Mets once already this season and had one of his best outings of the year. Irvin went 7.1 innings, giving up just one run, in a Nationals’ home win in April.
Mets vs. Nationals pick, best bet
The first game of the Mets/Nationals series was action-packed. The Nationals jumped on the Mets early, with CJ Abrams leading the way. However, a Juan Soto home run, a Soto RBI double and a Pete Alonso RBI got the Mets to tie the game up, sending it to extra innings. In extra innings, the Mets shut down the Nationals’ bats, then Jeff McNeil walked it off on the first pitch in the bottom of the 10th. It should be another exciting game on Wednesday night. David Peterson has been nails all season and should be able to keep this Washington lineup in check. Jake Irvin pitched a gem the last time he faced the Mets and should put in another solid performance against New York. As proven last night, the Mets have a significant advantage once the bullpens come into play. That is why my favorite bet for this game is a same-game parlay of the Mets moneyline and the under 8.5 runs. Both starters should be efficient, but the Mets should find a way to win by scoring a run or two against the Nationals’ bullpen.
