The New York Mets (47-54) remain seven and a half games out of a playoff spot after a two-game split with the New York Yankees. It seems more and more likely that Steven Cohen and Billy Eppler will choose to be sellers ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline, as David Robertson, Tommy Pham and Mark Canha could be on the move. The Washington Nationals (43-59) have won six of their last 10 as they travel to Citi Field for a four-game series. Here are some important notes to look for in each of the three pitching matchups.

Thursday, July 27, 2023: RHP Josiah Gray (7-8, 3.45 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (7-5, 3.27 ERA)

Josiah Gray represented the Nationals at the 2023 All-Star game in Seattle, thanks to his remarkable turnaround from a season ago. The right-hander has been the most consistent pitcher in their rotation, as he is on pace to eclipse his career-high in innings pitched (148 2/3 IP in 2022). Gray owns a 2.74 ERA in 12 road starts this season, which is much better than his 4.57 ERA at home. He will look to improve on those numbers at Citi Field on Thursday night. The former Los Angeles Dodger won his last start against the Mets back on Apr. 25, throwing six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a 5-0 victory.

Kodai Senga has performed like the ace of the Mets rotation for the better part of the last six weeks, giving the team a chance to win every fifth day. His first two starts in the second half have been excellent, owning a 2.89 ERA over his last 9 1/3 innings. Senga’s last start was cut short by rain at Fenway Park on Jul. 21, as the right-hander allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. He will be making his 10th start at home on Thursday, going 3-2 with a 2.50 ERA in the previous nine. Senga threw five innings in his only start against the Nationals on Apr. 26, giving up two runs on five hits.

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Friday, July 28, 2023: LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 4.37 ERA) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (8-4, 4.20 ERA)

MacKenzie Gore has been one of the few bright spots for a Nationals team that is in the beginning stages of a rebuild. The left-hander is having a career year after finishing the 2022 season on the injured list. If he had enough innings to qualify, Gore’s 10.9 SO/9 would rank in the top ten among all starters this season. He is having a very good season, and he will look to continue that against the Mets, who he is 1-0 against with a 0.90 ERA across two starts. Gore would like to better his numbers away from home, as he is 4-3 with a 4.60 ERA in 58 2/3 road innings.

The struggles for Max Scherzer continue to exist, as the veteran is coming off a very disappointing performance against the Boston Red Sox on Jul. 22. On that night, he allowed five runs on six hits while striking out seven in six innings. His biggest issue was the long ball, as he gave up a season-high four home runs. In the month of July, has has given up nine home runs across four starts. It has not been a good stretch for Scherzer, so it will be important for him to bounce back against his former team. Luckily for the right-hander, he has been much better at home, owning a 2-0 record with a 2.36 ERA in six starts at Citi Field.

Saturday, July 29, 2023: LHP Patrick Corbin (6-11, 5.01 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-4, 5.82 ERA)

While he has not struggled as much as he did a year ago, Patrick Corbin is having another difficult season on the mound. He has allowed 151 hits, which currently leads the league. The left-hander is giving up 11.3 H/9, which ranks last among qualified starting pitchers. Corbin has been a contact pitcher for a large part of his career, especially as he has aged. The Mets will attempt to attack the Nationals starter, one that has a 5.33 road ERA across 50 2/3 innings. Corbin won his only start against New York on May 15, allowing two runs to score on eight hits in six innings.

Carlos Carrasco had a ton of trouble against the Red Sox on Jul. 23, as the right-hander was able to make it through 2 1/3 innings. He gave up a total of five runs on 10 hits, which put a ton of stress on the Mets bullpen. That has been an issue for Carrasco all year, as he has only pitched into the sixth inning in three of his 14 starts. The veteran will return back to Citi Field for a chance to improve on his numbers. He is 1-1 with a 7.31 ERA in six starts at home, which is way up from his 3.56 ERA at home in 2022. Saturday’s game will be Carrasco’s first start against the Nationals this season.

Sunday, July 30, 2023: RHP Trevor Williams (5-5, 4.47 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (5-5, 3.24 ERA)

Trevor Williams, a former Met, will make his second return to Citi Field this weekend. His first trip came all the way back on Apr. 27, when he gave up four runs on nine hits across five innings. Williams is having a solid season at the backend of the Nationals rotation. He owns a 4.29 ERA for his career, so he is right around is typical numbers in 2023. Williams will be making his 12th road start in the series finale, going 3-2 with a 4.56 ERA in the previous 11. He has done well against the Mets throughout his career, owning a 3-1 record with a 3.05 ERA across 38 1/3 innings.

Justin Verlander has been up and down in his first season with the Mets, but to his credit, that has not stopped him from attempting to figure it out. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings against the Yankees on Jul. 25, helping him earn his fifth victory of the year. July has been a much better month for Verlander, as he is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 32 innings. Senga and Verlander have cemented themselves as the top two pitchers in the Mets rotation, with Scherzer lagging behind. He [Verlander] will look to continue his dominance at home, owning a 2.34 ERA at Citi Field in 2023.