NY Mets (6-1) at Washington (4-4)
When: Sunday, April 8th 2018
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Washington -148/8
The New York Mets have already clinched a series win over the Washington Nationals, but they would love to leave town with a three-game sweep. New York, which is off to their best start in 12 years, will try and do that on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. As we predicted on our video podcast on Saturday, Steven Matz and the Mets kept the cold Washington bats in check en route to a 3-2 victory after taking the opener on Thursday 8-2. The Nationals appear to be frustrated early-on with second baseman Anthony Rendon and manager Dave Martinez getting tossed on Saturday for arguing balls and strikes. Bryce Harper continued his hot start with his fifth home run on Saturday, but everyone of his dingers have come in Washington losses. Center fielder Adam Eaton (.435, two home runs, five RBIs this season) was limited to pinch-hitting duties on Saturday after twisting his ankle in Thursday’s series opener. Mets left fielder Michael Conforto, who recorded career highs with a .279 batting average, 27 home runs and 68 RBIs last season, will make just his second start of the season on Sunday after walking as a pinch-hitter Saturday. Conforto blasted a two-run homer Thursday in his first game since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last August. Washington’s Tanner Roark, who won his season debut, will oppose Matt Harvey, who appears to have put his injuries behind him. New York leads the majors in both ERA (2.14) and WHIP (1.00) and are third in strikeouts with 82 through seven games.
Pitchers: Mets – Matt Harvey (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | Nationals – Tanner Roark (1-0, 1.29)
Harvey shut down Philadelphia in his season debut, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out five in five scoreless innings of a 2-0 victory. Harvey was a spectacular 25-18 with a 2.53 ERA in his first three seasons before slumping to 9-17, 5.78 in the past two years. Bryce Harper is just 2-for-29 with a home run and seven strikeouts against Harvey while Anthony Rendon is 9-for-23 with a homer. Harvey is 3-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) versus Washington and 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA in six outings at Nationals Park.
Like Harvey, Roark was also sharp in his first 2018 start, allowing one run, four hits and a walk while striking out six in seven innings of an 8-1 victory at Atlanta on Monday. Roark has historically been very good at Nationals Park (27-19 with a 3.38 ERA in 74 games), but slumped at home last season with a 6-6 mark and 5.04 ERA in 17 games (14 starts). Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce are a combined 4-for-27 versus Roark, who is 7-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 17 games (11 starts) against New York.
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I took the Mets in the first two games of this series, and I’m going to keep riding them. The biggest question regarding this Mets team was whether or not their pitching could stay sharp and healthy – so far, so good. Washington is struggling offensively right now and Harvey is not someone they want to see.
Pick: Mets +130
BETTING TRENDS:
- Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. National League East.
- Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
- Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 games on grass.
- Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Mets are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a win.
- Mets are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Mets are 4-10 in their last 14 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Mets are 5-13 in their last 18 road games.
- Mets are 7-19 in their last 26 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Mets are 7-20 in their last 27 Sunday games.
- Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series.
- Mets are 5-12 in Harvey’s last 17 starts.
- Mets are 5-12 in Harvey’s last 17 starts on grass.
- Mets are 9-23 in Harvey’s last 32 road starts.
- Mets are 5-16 in Harvey’s last 21 starts vs. National League East.
- Mets are 2-8 in Harvey’s last 10 Sunday starts.
- Mets are 1-7 in Harvey’s last 8 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 5-0 in their last 5 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 Sunday games.
- Nationals are 19-7 in their last 26 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 13-5 in their last 18 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Nationals are 16-7 in their last 23 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series.
- Nationals are 1-6 in their last 7 home games.
- Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. National League East.
- Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 overall.
- Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 games on grass.
- Nationals are 4-1 in Roark’s last 5 home starts.
- Nationals are 8-2 in Roark’s last 10 Sunday starts.
- Nationals are 8-3 in Roark’s last 11 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Nationals are 5-2 in Roark’s last 7 starts vs. National League East.
- Under is 5-0 in Mets last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Under is 5-1 in Mets last 6 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Mets last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 on grass.
- Under is 7-3 in Mets last 10 vs. National League East.
- Over is 16-7 in Mets last 23 road games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Harvey’s last 4 Sunday starts.
- Over is 3-0-2 in Harvey’s last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Over is 11-3-1 in Harvey’s last 15 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Over is 12-5-3 in Harvey’s last 20 starts on grass.
- Over is 12-5-3 in Harvey’s last 20 starts overall.
- Over is 3-0-2 in Nationals last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 4-1-2 in Nationals last 7 overall.
- Over is 4-1-2 in Nationals last 7 on grass.
- Under is 6-2-2 in Nationals last 10 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Nationals last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Nationals last 5 games following a loss.
- Over is 3-1-2 in Nationals last 6 vs. National League East.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Nationals last 8 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3 in Nationals last 10 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 7-3-3 in Nationals last 13 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 31-15-5 in Nationals last 51 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 9-1 in Roark’s last 10 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 7-1 in Roark’s last 8 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 6-1 in Roark’s last 7 home starts.
- Under is 10-2-1 in Roark’s last 13 starts on grass.
- Under is 10-2-1 in Roark’s last 13 starts overall.
- Over is 4-1 in Roark’s last 5 Sunday starts.
- Under is 8-2-1 in Roark’s last 11 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 19-5-2 in Roark’s last 26 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Roark’s last 5 starts vs. National League East.
- Over is 7-3 in Roark’s last 10 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Roark’s last 7 starts vs. Mets.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Washington.
- Nationals are 4-1 in Roark’s last 5 home starts vs. Mets.
- Over is 4-1 in Harvey’s last 5 road starts vs. Nationals.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Roark’s last 5 home starts vs. Mets.
- Nationals are 8-3 in Roark’s last 11 starts vs. Mets.
- Mets are 0-5 in Harvey’s last 5 starts vs. Nationals.
