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MLB MatchupsSat 12:35 PM ET
New York Mets logo
New York
Mets
J. Tong RHP
versus
Washington Nationals logo
Washington
Nationals
C. Early LHP
MLB · NYM at WSH

Your Picks on Mets vs Nationals

Picks close 15 minutes before game time (ET)
Runline
Moneyline
Total

New York vs Washington consensus picks

NYM20%
80%WSH

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Predictions Today: Jonah Tong vs Connelly Early

Game time: September 26, 2026 at 12:35 PM ET

Venue: Nationals Park — Washington, District of Columbia

Article updated Sep 26, 12:20 AM EDT

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

The Washington Nationals will beat the New York Mets, 4-3, in our September 26 forecast. Connelly Early's lower season ERA across a larger innings sample gives Washington the strongest individual matchup advantage, supported by the Nationals' higher scoring average. Confidence is low, however, and Washington's +116 moneyline is not an actionable wager given the bullpen counterweight and incomplete current-form picture.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals prediction and best bet

Washington is the projected winner, but the official best bet is Pass. Early's season performance and the Nationals' offensive baseline tilt the forecast toward the home team. Those advantages make Washington competitive with a Mets club priced as the favorite at -136.

The difficulty is carrying that starting-pitching advantage through nine innings. New York has the better full-season relief numbers, while Early's three-start summary includes a June appearance and should not be treated as September momentum. Washington +116 deserves consideration, but the evidence leaves too much uncertainty around the size of its edge. A narrow Nationals victory is the forecast; neither the run line nor the total earns a recommendation.

Odds, game time and how to watch

Game: New York Mets at Washington Nationals, MLB, September 26, 2026.

First pitch: 12:35 p.m. EDT. Venue: Nationals Park.

Probable starters: Jonah Tong, Mets right-hander; Connelly Early, Nationals left-hander.

Records: New York 73-87; Washington 76-84. The Mets are 4-6 in their last 10 games.

SportsJaw moneylines: New York -136; Washington +116.

SportsJaw run lines: New York -1.5 (+125); Washington +1.5 (-150). Both sides are a Pass for this forecast. Total: Over 8.5 (+100), Under 8.5 (-120).

New York Mets outlook

Tong's season covers only 25 2/3 innings, with 21 hits, 15 runs, 12 earned runs, two home runs, 13 walks and 25 strikeouts. His 4.21 ERA and 1.32 WHIP leave room for an effective outing, but the walks are the clearest concern against Washington's higher-scoring offense.

His September results show the range. On September 14 against Baltimore, Tong allowed four hits and one unearned run over six innings, walking one and striking out six. Against Philadelphia on September 20, he surrendered five hits and four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, with four walks and five strikeouts. On September 7 at Miami, he allowed four earned runs over five innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

New York averages 4.30 runs scored and 4.53 allowed per game. Its strongest counterweight is a bullpen with a 3.78 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, better than Washington's full-season figures. Covers' separate available-reliever group has a 4.60 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 255 innings, however, so the season advantage needs qualification. Jared Young is listed on the seven-day injured list with a concussion, dated September 17. No quantified offensive adjustment follows from that absence.

Washington Nationals outlook

Early brings the stronger season pitching line: 91 2/3 innings, 81 hits, 35 runs, all earned, 15 home runs, 34 walks and 93 strikeouts. His 3.44 ERA and 1.25 WHIP compare favorably with Tong's numbers over substantially more innings. That is the main reason to project Washington ahead.

His last three listed starts total 16 innings, 10 hits, three earned runs, one homer, five walks and 21 strikeouts, with a 1.69 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. The timing matters. The listed June 30 appearance against Washington came while Early pitched for Boston: four scoreless innings, three hits, two walks and five strikeouts. This older stretch illustrates his ability, but calling it a current hot streak would overstate its relevance.

Washington averages 5.09 runs scored and 5.03 allowed per game. Its offensive average supports the forecast, though it is not a split specifically against right-handers. The bullpen's season 5.00 ERA and 1.45 WHIP create the biggest vulnerability. Covers' available-reliever group instead shows a 4.13 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 255 innings. Those different groupings offer conflicting relief signals, without showing which arms are rested enough to handle today's important outs.

Key matchup factors

The key question is how much of Washington's starter advantage survives into the later innings. Tong's Baltimore outing shows a credible route to a Mets win: limit walks, keep the game close and give the bullpen a manageable assignment. Early's season home-run allowance also cautions against assuming New York will struggle throughout.

At the September 26, 04:10 UTC update, Washington +116 led the blended consensus at 56%. Its combined consensus count was 340 of 608 selections, incorporating a modeled sportsbook sample and SportsJaw participation. SportsJaw's community separately favored Washington at 75%. These are preference measures, not a 56% win probability or independent proof that the underdog price offers value.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals spread prediction

Pass on Washington Nationals +1.5 (-150) and New York Mets -1.5 (+125). Washington's extra run and a half fits the projected result, but the -150 price asks for more certainty about avoiding a multi-run defeat than this matchup offers.

The Mets' season bullpen advantage is a reason they could overturn an early deficit. It is not enough to project them winning by at least two runs against Early. The forecast favors Washington narrowly, while the spread prices leave neither side attractive enough for an official play.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals total prediction

Pass on the total: Over 8.5 (+100) and Under 8.5 (-120). The seven-run projection points below 8.5, with Early's season run prevention supplying the strongest Under argument. Tong's strikeout production also gives him a route through difficult innings.

The scoring risks run both ways. Washington averages more than five runs per game, Tong walked four in his latest start, and the Nationals' season bullpen ERA is 5.00. Seven of New York's last 10 games went Over. Without a firmer read on bullpen workload and the offenses against these particular handedness matchups, the Under remains a forecast direction, not a wager.

New York Mets vs Washington Nationals projected score

Game forecast: Washington Nationals 4, New York Mets 3. Early's larger season sample and better ERA give Washington the initial advantage, while the Nationals' higher season scoring average supplies a second reason to favor them. The projection assumes a competitive game rather than dominance from either starter.

The strongest counterargument is New York's better full-season bullpen, especially if Tong repeats his low-walk Baltimore performance. Early's older game-log window adds uncertainty rather than proof of current form. Confidence is low. The official SportsJaw betting lean is Pass, with both supplied run lines and both directions at the 8.5 total also passed. Washington is the winner pick without a corresponding wager.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

NYM3

WSH4

Projected winner Washington NationalsConfidenceSlight Lean — Washington Nationals
Pick on the Spread

Slight Lean — Washington Nationals +1.5

Editorial pick at publication: Pass on Washington Nationals +1.5 (-150) and New York Mets -1.5 (+125)

Pick on the Total

Slight Lean — Under 8.5

Editorial pick at publication: Pass on Over 8.5 (+100) and Under 8.5 (-120)

Sources

  • CoversMets vs Nationals Game Overview, Stats, Injuries, Records - MLB Game on September 26, 2026
  • MLB.comBaseball Probable Pitchers
  • MLB.comJonah Tong Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News

SportsJaw Mets vs Nationals game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Mets vs Nationals matchups or learn how our predictions work.

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