Nationals at Mets
The New York Mets' organization expressed faith in embattled manager Mickey Callaway before the opener of a four-game series with the Washington Nationals, and the team provided its support with a fast start en route to a 5-3 victory. The Mets look to ride the momentum of snapping a five-game skid into Tuesday's contest against the visiting Nationals.
Amed Rosario and Pete Alonso each belted a homer in the first inning on Monday for the Mets, who enjoyed the early power display after mustering just three hits in the final two games of a sweep by majors-worst Miami. Alonso has three homers in his last four games overall and is 12-for-36 with three blasts and eight RBIs against Washington this season. The Nationals have dropped three of four overall and eight of 11 on the road this month to fall a season high-tying nine games under .500. Anthony Rendon has homered in three of his last four contests and owns eight RBIs along with 10 runs scored during his seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Erick Fedde (0-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (3-3, 4.85)
Fedde will make his first start this season and 15th of his career on Tuesday when he takes the spot of fellow right-hander Anibal Sanchez, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with an ailing hamstring. The 26-year-old Fedde answered two scoreless innings of relief against the Mets last Tuesday by getting ripped for four runs on as many hits over 2 2/3 frames versus New York two nights later. Fedde also struggled against the Mets in an outing last season, as he permitted three runs and walked four batters across 3 1/3 innings of a no-decision on Sept. 23.
Wheeler will face the Nationals for the fourth time this season, and he has an 0-2 mark with a 9.77 ERA to show for it. The 28-year-old hasn't helped himself with two homers and 10 walks as he has allowed 17 runs on 21 hits over 15 2/3 innings against Washington. Wheeler was gouged for six runs - with four coming in the first inning - on a career-high 11 hits in a 7-6 setback against the Nationals on Thursday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington LF Juan Soto is 6-for-15 with four RBIs during his four-game hitting streak.
2. New York OF Yoenis Cespedes, who hasn't played this season due to a pair of surgeries on his heels, sustained multiple fractures on his right ankle as a result of an accident at his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
3. Nationals C Yan Gomes collected three hits in the opener after going 0-for-22 in his previous eight games.