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The Washington Nationals will finish their three-game series with the New York Mets on Thursday at Citi Field. We're here to share our MLB odds series, make a Nationals-Mets prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
Nationals-Mets Projected Starters
Mackenzie Gore vs. David Peterson
Mackenzie Gore (6-7) with a 3.87 ERA
Last Start: Gore struggled in his last outing, lasting just 3 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits, striking out five, and walking five in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals.
2024 Road Splits: Gore has been slightly better on the road, going 2-3 with a 3.31 ERA over six starts away from Nationals Park.
David Peterson (3-0) with a 3.58 ERA
Last Start: Peterson labored in his last outing, going 4 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs, five hits, striking out five, and walking two in a no-decision against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
2024 Home Splits: Peterson is 1-0 with a 4.40 ERA over three starts at Citi Field this season.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Mets Odds
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-182)
Moneyline: +114
New York Mets: -1.5 (+150)
Moneyline: -134
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
How to Watch Nationals vs. Mets
Time: 1:10 PM ET/10:10 AM PT
TV: Sportsnet New York
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Nationals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Nationals are starting to slip from the playoff race. Unfortunately, a horrible stretch where they have gone 3-7 over 10 games has now put them 5.5 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final wildcard spot in the National League.
The Nationals do not hit the ball. Unfortunately, they are 19th in batting average and on-base percentage. The Nats are also 18th in runs, 29th in home runs, and 26th in slugging percentage. Yet, they have some hitters who can do some damage.
CJ Abrams believes the Nationals are on the right track. Currently, he leads the Nats in hits and home runs. But Abrams needs his teammates to help him out. Thus, others like Jesse Winker, Keibert Ruiz, and Luis Garcia Jr. must find ways to hit the baseball. Abrams struggled in the opener. However, Ruiz clubbed a home run and has shown that he can clobber one over the fence.
But the pitching has been atrocious. Moreover, Gore did not have a quality start in four straight outings. Gore has had mixed results against the Mets, going 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA over five starts. When Gore finishes, he will turn it over to an inconsistent bullpen that is 16th in team ERA.
The Nationals will cover the spread if they can build an early lead to get some momentum. Then, they need Gore to go the distance.
Why The Mets Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Mets are keeping pace with the playoff race. They entered the middle of the week trailing the Padres by just 1.5 games for the final wildcard spot in the National League.
The Mets have bounced back from an awful season. They are 10th in batting average and runs. Likewise, they are 11th in on-base percentage, fourth in home runs, and eighth in slugging percentage. New York has players who can rake the baseball.
Francisco Lindor leads the Mets in hits. Therefore, expect him to try to get on base and set the tone. Pete Alonso leads the Mets in home runs and can possibly hit 35 by the end of the season. Ultimately, he is a power threat at the plate. Starling Marte and JD Martinez must contribute at the plate to help Lindor and Alonso.
The Mets covered the spread on Tuesday because they scored four runs in the second inning. Next, they tacked on two more in the sixth. They got home runs from Brandon Nimmo and Lindor to help give them the cushion. Overall, it helped their pitching staff tremendously.
Peterson needs to help a struggling pitching staff and pitch well enough to relieve the pressure on a bullpen that is 20th in baseball in team ERA.
The Mets will cover the spread if the offense can continue battering the baseball and give their pitchers good run support. Then, they need Peterson to maintain his location and turn the game over to the bullpen with a lead.
Final Nationals-Mets Prediction & Pick
The Nationals are a mediocre team. However, they are the best team in the majors at covering the spread. Despite how bad their offense has been, they have often found ways to cover the spread. Additionally, the Mets are just 20-26 against the spread at home, often not getting the job done at home. Expect the Nats to find a way to cover the odds on the road and make this a close game in the end.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Nationals-Mets Prediction & Pick: Washington Nationals: +1.5 (-182)
