Nationals vs. Mets: Picks, predictions, how to watch Wednesday’s game

The Washington Nationals and New York Mets square off on Wednesday with first pitch set for 1:10 p.m. ET The game takes place at Citi Field in Queens, New York and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Evan Lee will start for the Nationals with Carlos Carrasco throwing for the Mets.

Washington (18-33) allowed 23 runs in the first two games of this series as they look to avoid getting swept. Lee will make his MLB debut from Double-A, taking the spot of Aaron Sanchez, who was designated for assignment. The Nationals have the fourth best batting average, but that hasn’t translated in runs where they rank 20th in the MLB. Josh Bell increased his average to .298 and has 4 hits in this series.

New York (34-17) has a commanding lead in the National League East, 10.5 games ahead of the next best team as they go for their sixth straight victory. Carrasco has a 3.98 ERA in 9 starts. He has faced the Nationals twice this season and allowed 3 runs over 12.1 innings of work, striking out 10 batters. The Mets ranks second in runs per game, and Pete Alonso has the second most RBIs with 47 going into Wednesday afternoon’s game.

Nationals vs. Mets

Pitchers: Evan Lee vs. Carlos Carrasco
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. ET
Nationals local broadcast: MASN
Mets local broadcast: SportsNet New York
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)

Odds, picks & predictions

Run line: Mets -1.5 (-125)
Run total: 8.5
Moneyline odds: Mets -255, Nationals +205

Moneyline pick: Mets -255

New York has advantages across the board with a significant pitching edge as Carrasco is off to a hot start in 2022, while Lee made just 7 starts this season after spending 2021 in Single-A. The Mets have one of the top offenses in baseball, adding to how much of a favorite they are in this spot.

Player prop pick: Carlos Carrasco Over 4.5 strikeouts (+100)

The Mets starter has been a strong strikeout thrower over his career and should surpass this total despite facing a Nationals lineup that strikes out the fewest times per game. Carrasco struck out 5 Washington batters in both starts against the Nationals this season, and that streak should continue.

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