New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2018 ) NY Mets 4, Washington 25

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo opted to stay fairly quiet at the trade deadline, insisting "we believe in the players that we have." Hours later, those players backed up those words as the Nationals annihilated the visiting New York Mets to give them a chance to complete a two-game sweep of their National League East rivals on Wednesday afternoon.

Washington set a franchise record for runs and handed New York its worst loss in history in the 25-4 destruction in the series opener, opening a 13-0 lead through three innings as Daniel Murphy continue to torment his former team with a pair of three-run homers. "Tough loss. It’s embarrassing. We’ve got to do better than that,” said Mets manager Mickey Callaway, who will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound when he comes off the disabled list due to hand, foot and mouth disease. New York could use a solid effort from Syndergaard after infielder Jose Reyes was on the mound for the final inning Tuesday, getting tagged for six runs and five hits. Third baseman Anthony Rendon had three hits and four RBIs in the romp, and is 8-for-23 against Syndergaard, who is 0-2 with a 6.61 ERA in four career starts at Nationals Park.

TV: 12:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), MASN 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (6-1, 2.89 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Tommy Milone (0-0, 5.40)

Syndergaard beat the Nationals in his return from a seven-week stint on the disabled list due to a ligament injury in his index finger, giving up one run on seven hits over five innings. He also earned the win with five innings of one-run ball against the Yankees in his next start on July 20 before heading back to the DL. Syndergaard has made 11 career starts against Washington, posting a 3-4 record and 3.38 ERA.

Milone made his season debut at Miami and looked like he might not make it through the first inning after giving up three runs, but he followed that up with four scoreless frames to earn his first win since April 14, 2017. The 31-year-old veteran made 11 appearances (five starts) for the Mets last year, posting an 0-3 record and bloated 8.56 ERA. Milone has made two starts against New York, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Murphy is batting .390 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs in 43 games versus the Mets since the start of the 2016 season.

2. Mets INF Wilmer Flores left Tuesday's game in the first inning due to dizziness and dehydration.

3. 1B Ryan Zimmerman surpassed Tim Wallach (1,694) as the all-time hits leader in Expos/Nationals franchise history with 1,696.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Nationals 3