Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, October 4  •  8:10 P.M. ET
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
Pablo Espino (0-8, 4.30 ERA) vs. Taijuan Walker (12-5, 3.59 ERA)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WEPN 1050

The Mets took Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader 4-2 behind a three-RBI day from Brandon Nimmo and a four-out save from Edwin Díaz.

Now’s time for Game 2, as the Mets will be scoreboard watching the Braves’ game with the Marlins.

Mets Lineup

Paolo Espino gets the nightcap for the Nationals. Over 41 games and 18 starts, Espino has pitched 113 inningsnightcap.30 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.310 WHIP with a 91 ERA+. As a starter only he has pitched 83 1/3 innings with a 5.08 ERA and 1.380 WHIP. Espino is coming off of a rough start against the Braves where he allowed four runs over five innings from five hits and no walks. Before that in September he had pitched 17 innings over six games with a 3.18 ERA (3.05 FIP).

Espino has pitched in three games and 6 1/3 innings against the Mets this season allowing one run from five hits. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Nationals Lineup

Taijuan Walker is pitching today for a role in the postseason. Once the playoffs start, traditional roles and time lengths for starting pitchers are thrown out the window.

Over 28 starts and 153 innings this season, Walker has a 3.59 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 1.203 WHIP and a 107 ERA+. In his last two starts, he’s allowed seven runs from 12 hits and five walks over 11 innings of work. Walker has made only one start against the Nationals this season, holding them scoreless and to only three hits over seven innings. The Nationals have the following career numbers against Walker:

Game Notes

The Mets are one game back of the Braves in the NL East at the start of play with two games remaining.

With their win in Game 1, the 2022 Mets because just the third Mets team to win 99 games, joining the 1969, 1986 and 1988 teams. They also ensured their first season without a losing streak longer than three games for the first time since 1972.

Let’s go Mets!