New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2016 ) Washington 1, NY Mets 5

As the Washington Nationals cruise toward their third National League East title in five years, the red-hot New York Mets find themselves in the middle of an epic wild-card dogfight. New York, which has won seven of its last eight and is 16-5 since Aug. 20, continues its nine-game road trip with three in Washington beginning Monday as it sits one-half game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild card and 1 1/2 behind San Francisco for the top spot.

The Mets appear to have a significant advantage over their wild-card rivals because after the Nationals series, their final 16 games are against teams with losing records starting with a 10-game homestand versus Minnesota, Atlanta and Philadelphia. San Francisco and St. Louis, meanwhile, play each other four times and also meet the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, respectively, six times apiece. The Nationals, who lead the Mets by nine games in the NL East, won six of their last seven games as they face the possibility of ace Stephen Strasburg missing the rest of the season because of a strained flexor mass in his right arm. New York's Rafael Montero makes his third straight spot start while filling in for Jacob deGrom (forearm soreness) and opposes Mat Latos, who replaces Strasburg while making his first start with Washington after a pair of relief appearances.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Rafael Montero (0-0, 4.63 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Mat Latos (7-2, 4.74)

Montero allowed three runs, three hits and four walks while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings of New York's 5-3 victory in Cincinnati on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Dominican Republic native also struggled with his control in his previous start, walking six in five scoreless innings of the Mets' 2-1 victory over Miami on Aug. 29. Montero faced Washington once, yielding a hit, a walk and striking out two in two scoreless innings of relief in April 2015.

Latos earned the victory by striking out the only batter he faced in a 5-4 win over Atlanta on Sept. 7. The 28-year-old Virginian signed with Washington in June after being released by the Chicago White Sox and was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 28 strikeouts in six minor-league starts covering 28 innings. James Loney is hitting .333 with two home runs in 24 at-bats against Latos, who is 2-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Nationals' Anthony Rendon went 1-for-3 with his 37th double - most among NL third baseman - in Sunday's 3-2 victory over Philadelphia and is hitting .321 with six home runs, 35 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 20 doubles in his last 44 games.

2. New York SS Asdrubal Cabrera went 3-for-5 with three runs scored in the Mets' 10-3 victory in Atlanta on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 10 games (13-for-36). Cabrera is batting .385 since returning from the disabled list Aug. 19 (left knee).

3. Washington has won 10 of 16 meetings this season, including six of the last seven beginning with a three-game sweep at Nationals Park in late June.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Nationals 2