After a series victory at home against the Seattle Mariners, the New York Mets (63-74) are heading to Nationals Park for a brief two-game series against the Washington Nationals (62-76).

Although both teams are not anywhere near playoff contention, this upcoming series could have major implications for placement in the 2024 MLB Draft. While intentional tanking is not a commendable strategy by any means, a few losses down the stretch could put the Mets in a prime position to land another top prospect that could bolster their up-and-coming farm system. The Nationals and Mets are currently sixth and seventh respectively for worst records in MLB right now. If the Mets don’t a top six pick in the draft lottery, their pick will move back 10 spots (because of luxury tax spending).

Another development to keep an eye on is that it is never too early to start evaluating internal options for the 2024 roster. One specific name that comes to mind is DJ Stewart, the outfielder that has burst onto the scene in the wake of injuries and trades that depleted the initial roster. While it would not be advisable to provide Stewart with a spot on the roster based on a short sample size, these next few weeks could be considered his tryout for next season.

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, September 5, 2023: LHP José Quintana (1-5, 3.26 ERA) vs. LHP Patrick Corbin (9-12, 4.90 ERA)

José Quintana will begin the series for the Mets. Last start, he returned to his usual form, after an uncharacteristically poor performance against the Braves in the start prior. In fact, he tossed six shutout innings with five strikeouts against the strong lineup of the Texas Rangers. This start was his sixth quality start out of eight total starts since returning from his injury in July. Quintana looks to continue his strong 2023 campaign against the Nationals, who he has a career 4.26 ERA against in four starts.

Patrick Corbin will pitch for the other side. His struggles since signing his large contract in free agency have been well-documented. Fortunately for the Nationals, he only has one year left on his contract after this season. That said, he was having a stretch of solid outings until his latest appearance, where he allowed six earned runs in five innings against the Blue Jays. The Mets have seen a lot of Corbin over the years, and he has a 4.48 ERA in 27 career starts against them.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, September 6, 2023: TBD vs. RHP Joan Adon (2-1, 5.90 ERA)

The Mets have not named a starter for Wednesday’s contest yet. Barring any last minute surprises, they will likely go with either Carlos Carrasco or José Butto to pitch the first few innings of this game. While Carrasco is likely off the table for a return next season, Butto could benefit from some work down the stretch, as he has limited MLB experience under his belt. Neither pitcher has been particularly successful this season, but they could rebound against the Nationals if given the opportunity to do so.

Joan Adon will pitch the final game of the series for Washington. He has split time between the Triple-A and MLB levels, and has not exactly performed well at either one. With Triple-A Rochester, he posted a 4.62 ERA and 1.506 WHIP in 87 2/3 innings. Similarly, he has a 5.90 ERA (4.95 FIP) in 29 innings of work at the MLB level. In his most recent outing, he pitched five innings and gave up as many runs against the Miami Marlins. Adon has started two games against the Mets in his career, and has allowed seven runs over eight innings combined.