New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Prediction & Match Preview - April 8th | MLB Season 2022

The New York Mets are headed to the American capital on Friday, April 8, where they will play the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. The two teams are bitter National League East divisional rivals and will be pulling no punches this season.

The New York Mets finished third in the division last season with a record of 77-85, while the Nationals were last. The Nats finished with a .401 win percentage to finish 23.5 games behind the division leaders, the Atlanta Braves.

Both teams will be looking to do better than they did last year. It all kicks off on Friday.

Match Details

Fixture: Washington Nationals vs New York Mets

Date & Time: Friday, April 8, 7:05 p.m. EDT

Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

New York Mets Preview

One man will hold the limelight on Friday night, and his name is Max Scherzer. Scherzer signed the largest deal in MLB history with the New York Mets this past March, and will now be paid $135 million over the next three years.

Scherzer finished last season with a 7-0 record and an ERA of just 1.98 last season for the Dodgers. Now, he will fittingly get the ball on Opening Day against a his former team of five seasons, the Washington Nationals.

Although there were questions about Scherzer's ability to start on Opening Day due to leg tightness, it looks as though the ace is ready to go.

New York Mets Key Player - Max Scherzer

And how could it not be? Ever since Steven Cohen, a New York hedge fund owner and financier, bought the New York Mets in 2020, big-time deals have been the norm.

The question now remains whether or not Max Scherzer, who will earn in excess of $35 million this year, is worth the money. The first match of the season will give fans a first taste of what is to come this year and over the next two as Scherzer is sure to flex some of the best pitches in his arsenal.

"Max Scherzer is back at the home of the #Nationals, just in a new uniform." - @ The Cold Wire

New York Mets Predicted Lineup

1. LF Brandon Nimmo
2. CF Starling Marte
3. SS Francisco Lindor
4. 1B Pete Alonso
5. DH Robinson Cano
6. 3B Eduardo Escobar
7. 2B Jeff McNeil
8. RF Mark Canha
9. C James McCann

Pitcher: Max Scherzer

Washington Nationals Preview

In 2021, the Nationals placed 24th out of 30 teams in ERA. Many of their woes came from having an inconsistent pitching staff that was unable to win games and keep runs down.

Steven Strasburg is a three-time All-Star who won 18 games for the Nationals in 2019. However, the once-franchised pitcher has gone steeply downhill. Dealing with pernicious injury problems, Strasburg only started five games last season.

The Opening Day pitcher for the Nationals, Josiah Gray, will also look to bounce back after a regrettable season where his ERA tipped 5.30.

The Nationals lost many strong bats in the offseason, including Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Ryan Zimmerman. Together, these three contributed 57 home runs and 150 RBIs. The Nats will certainly struggle to find adequate replacements.

"Good Morning. It's officially baseball season." - @ Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals Key Player - Nelson Cruz

One of the men brought in to (hopefully) mitigate the wealth of offense the Nationals have lost this season is 41-year-old journeyman Nelson Cruz.

Cruz, who has now played for seven big league clubs, has one thing the Nationals could use in spades: consistency. Over his 16-year career, Cruz has hit a decent .277 over thousands of at-bats.

As this is no doubt a rebuilding phase for the Nationals, Nelson Cruz could possibly be the foundation in this lineup to help younger players achieve big things for the Washington Nationals in the future.

Washington Nationals Projected Lineup

1. Cesar Hernandez, 2B
2. Juan Soto, LF
3. Nelson Cruz, DH
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Keibert Ruiz, C
6. Lane Thomas, CF
7. Alcides Escobar, SS
8. Maikel Franco, 3B
9. Victor Robles, LF

Pitcher: Josiah Grey

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Predicition

The two teams find themselves in very different positions as we enter the 2022 MLB season. The Mets have styled themselves as a contending team by making some big deals with enormous amounts of money. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals, having lost some very important franchise players, including Ryan Zimmerman, who retired after 16 years. The Nats know they likely will not make the playoffs this year and will instead focus on rebuilding the franchise from the bottom-up. Our Prediciton: Mets 7-2.

Nats' icon Ryan Zimmerman retired last year after 16 years with the club

Where to watch the New York Mets vs Washington Nationals

New York Mets

TV: SNY TV

Livestream: MLB.TV

Washington Nationals

TV: MASN

Livestream: MLB.TV

Regardless how the season ends for both teams, fans watching Friday's game will be in for a treat. Not only will they see Max Scherzer make his New York Mets debut, but they will also witness the young and dynamic Nationals team. While the Atlanta Braves are still very much favored to win the division, anything is possible in the National League East.