New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Picks and Prediction for Saturday, September 26, 2026

The New York Mets and Washington Nationals meet Saturday at Nationals Park, with the opening pitch scheduled for 4:05 PM ET and the game televised on ESPN Unlimited/MLB.TV. This is the next-to-last regular-season game for both teams. New York is 73-86, fifth in the NL East, and eliminated from playoff contention. The Mets lost 3-1 to Texas in their most recent result and are 4-6 over their last 10. Washington is 75-84, fourth in the NL East, and also eliminated. The Nationals beat Detroit 4-2 for their second straight victory and are 7-3 over their last 10. Let’s break down the matchup with our free MLB picks.

New York Mets Trying to Rebound After a Road Loss

New York won two straight against Texas before dropping the series finale 3-1 and has taken three of its last five games. Juan Soto is batting .274 with 27 home runs, 68 RBI, a .393 on-base percentage and .522 slugging percentage. Carson Benge is also batting .274 with 19 homers, 63 RBI, 83 runs and 22 stolen bases. Bo Bichette has a team-high 162 hits while batting .259 with 17 home runs and 76 RBI. Francisco Lindor has added 20 homers in 102 games.

The Mets are batting .238 with 682 runs, 197 home runs, a .309 on-base percentage and .393 slugging percentage, ranking 23rd in MLB batting. New York ranks 15th in pitching with a 4.14 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and .239 opponent average. The Mets are 37-41 away with a -35 run differential. New York has committed 92 errors with a .983 fielding percentage and has won six of the first 10 meetings against Washington this season.

Injuries: Christian Scott (out), Jared Young (out), Daniel Duarte (out), Robert Stock (out), Jorge Polanco (out).

Washington Nationals Building a Two-Game Winning Streak

Washington closed its series in Detroit with consecutive victories, winning 3-1 and 4-2 after losing the opener 9-2. The Nationals have won three of their last five. CJ Abrams leads Washington with 33 home runs and 103 RBI while batting .262 with 149 hits, 92 runs and 33 stolen bases. James Wood is batting .262 with 30 home runs, 77 RBI, 104 runs, a .385 on-base percentage and .505 slugging percentage. Daylen Lile has added 22 homers and 88 RBI.

The Nationals are batting .246 with 807 runs, 207 home runs, a .321 on-base percentage and .423 slugging percentage, ranking 12th in MLB batting. Washington ranks 26th in pitching with a 4.65 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and .253 opponent average. The Nationals are 37-41 at home and have a +9 run differential. Washington has committed 104 errors with a .982 fielding percentage. The Nationals have lost their last four games against New York.

Injuries: Orlando Ribalta (out), PJ Poulin (out), Connelly Early (out), Matt Waldron (out), Drew Millas (out).

Pitching Matchup

New York Mets - Jonah Tong

Jonah Tong is 2-2 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across 25.2 innings. He has allowed 21 hits and two home runs while recording 25 strikeouts and 13 walks.

Washington Nationals - Jake Irvin

Jake Irvin is 2-9 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 101.2 innings. He has allowed 93 hits and 18 home runs while recording 104 strikeouts and 46 walks.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Game Pick

• New York Mets 

New York is the pick after the Mets won six of the first 10 meetings in the season series, including four straight. Tong has allowed only two home runs across 25.2 innings, while Irvin carries a 5.40 ERA with 18 homers allowed in 101.2 innings. Washington owns the more productive offense, but New York has the lower team ERA and WHIP. The Mets have also won three of their last five.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Over/Under Pick

• over

The play is over with Washington scoring 807 runs and hitting 207 home runs this season. The Nationals also carry a 4.65 team ERA and 1.39 WHIP, leaving New York with chances to produce runs against Irvin and the Washington staff. Irvin has surrendered 18 home runs in 101.2 innings, while New York has hit 197 homers. Washington has power from Abrams and Wood, while Soto and Benge lead a Mets lineup capable of adding enough scoring to cash this game over the closing line.