MLB Game Preview - NY Mets at Washington

Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:05 PM EDT

The Washington Nationals will be looking to rebound following a tough loss in the series finale to the Philadelphia Phillies when they open the final series of the season Thursday at home against the New York Mets.

The Nationals won three of four against the Phillies but were crushed 12-3 on Wednesday. Juan Soto's two-run home run in the ninth was a rare bright spot for Washington, which fell to 23-33.

The defending World Series champion Nationals, who will not be returning to the postseason in 2020, will turn to Patrick Corbin on the mound.

Corbin (2-6, 4.76 ERA) will be making his 11th start for the Nationals. Corbin's 10th start was not very memorable as he allowed a career-high 14 hits to go along with seven runs in six innings on the road against the Miami Marlins.

Corbin is 4-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 16 career games, 15 starts, against the Mets.

"For me, uncharacteristic," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Corbin's previous start. "He threw a lot of balls over the middle of the plate. That's what I saw. His location is not what it typically is, and then when you do, you're going to get hit."

Before the outing, Corbin didn't believe he would allow 14 hits.

"I felt pretty good. I don't know," Corbin said. "Like I said, it was just strange. They came out swinging. It seemed like every inning, they had a couple guys on there. They had some really good swings on me. I think that's probably the most hits I've given up in a game, so just a little frustrating."

The Mets dropped to 25-31 following an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.

They'll begin their final four-game series by sending 25-year-old David Peterson to the mound. Peterson (5-2, 3.80 ERA) will be making his ninth start.

Peterson's eighth start was quite impressive as he tossed six strong innings and gave up three hits and one run with 10 strikeouts and four walks against the Atlanta Braves. Peterson threw a career-high 102 pitches and worked 22 swings and misses.

Peterson, a 2017 first round pick, is 1-0 against the Nationals this season with a five-inning outing earlier this season only allowing one unearned run.

"It's been awesome," Peterson said of his time with the Mets. "I've felt ready to contribute in any way possible and in any way the coaching staff and the team asked. It's been a blessing for me to be up here, learn from it and get some experience this year."

Along with Jacob deGrom, the Mets seem to have another reliable starter to lean on, which will build confidence heading into next season.

"He's stepped up," Mets manager Luis Rojas said of Peterson. "He's done it repeatedly. I think his poise, along with his stuff, is what let him work through some of the tough situations that he has encountered in his young career."

In Wednesday's loss, both Todd Frazier and Andres Gimenez homered for the Mets. But they were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

--Field Level Media