The Mets just became the first NL team since the 1919 Reds to hang 10 in a single extra inning, courtesy of a 16-7 dismantling of the Nats on Monday that featured 4 Washington errors and 19 left on base. Tuesday's matinee is essentially the hangover game, and Carlos Mendoza is handing the ball to the kid.
Nolan McLean has been the most interesting story in the rotation. He's at a 2.92 ERA on the year and just punched out 7 over 7 innings of 3-run ball against Detroit in his last start. With Senga and Holmes shelved and the position-player IL reading like a phone book, McLean carrying a sub-3 is the only reason this rotation hasn't collapsed.
- Day-To-DayMike Tauchman RF — Tauchman (knee) is still rehabbing at the Mets' spring training complex and has yet to resume baseball activities, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayGrae Kessinger 3B — no
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques RP — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget RP — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayNick Burdi RP — The Red Sox reinstated Burdi (hip) from the injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas 3B — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILJared Young 1B — Young (knee) will move his rehab assignment from Single-A St. Lucie to Triple-A Syracuse this week, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Lindor SS — The Mets "have hope" that Lindor (calf) will return to the active roster in about a month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
- Day-To-DayJoey Wiemer RF — Wiemer is being considered day-to-day after suffering a bruised hand during Monday's game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJacob Young CF — Young, who left Monday's game against the Mets after being hit by a pitch, is being considered day-to-day after being diagnosed with a bruised rib, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.
- Day-To-DayTyler Baum DH — Baum has not pitched this year due an undisclosed injury.
- Day-To-DayTravis Sykora SP — Sykora will undergo a UCL reconstruction on his right elbow in two weeks, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
- Day-To-DayJarlin Susana RP — Susana underwent surgery last week to repair a right lat tear, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
- 15-Day-ILClayton Beeter RP — Beeter (forearm) threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one.
- 15-Day-ILCole Henry RP — Henry (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester this weekend, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Kranick RP — The Nationals signed Kranick (elbow) to a one-year, $800,000 contract Tuesday and placed him on the 15-day injured list.
Foster Griffin, meanwhile, has been the Nats' best free-agent flier in a long time. The lefty came back from Japan on a 1-year, $5.5M deal and is 4-2 with a 3.53 ERA, including a 9-strikeout outing against the Marlins his last time through that was a season-high. He keeps Washington in games — the Nats just have to actually catch the ball behind him, which, after Monday, is a real ask.
Both lineups are also walking wounded in the outfield. Joey Wiemer (hand) and Jacob Young (bruised rib) are day-to-day after Monday's slugfest, both having absorbed contact in that game. The Mets are still without Lindor, Alvarez, Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr., so any Washington lineup shuffle could matter more than it looks.
The market has the Mets at -139 on Pinnacle with a 56.8% fair win probability — a clean favorite, not a lock. DK shaded the Mets ML down to -125 and the total up to 10, which after Monday's 23-run circus feels like the books reacting to the previous night rather than the matchup itself. Neither side grades out as +EV, so this is a watch, not a bet.
Mets have won 4 of 5 and just put up a historic frame. Nationals dropped 2 of their last 5 and are coming off a loss where they led for most of the night. McLean vs. Griffin is the kind of quiet, well-pitched game both teams would probably welcome after 12 innings of chaos — whether they get it is another matter.