NEW YORK METS (75-61, first place/NL East) at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (71-65, second place/NL East)
Monday: LHP Jonathon Niese (8-10, 4.17) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (11-11, 2.89), 1:05 p.m. ET
Tuesday: RHP Matt Harvey (12-7, 2.60) vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (12-8, 3.38), 7:05 p.m. ET
Wednesday: RHP Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (8-6, 4.35), 7:05 p.m. ET
NATIONALS SHORT HOPS
Bryce Harper continues to put up MVP-caliber numbers. In an eventful four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves, he hit .636 (7-for-11) with three homers, five RBIs and seven walks. On Wednesday, Harper had departed the series finale in St. Louis with glute tightness. On Thursday, Harper walked four times and scored four times while never swinging the bat in the opener against the Braves. He became the fourth major leaguer in the past 100 years to score four runs without an official plate appearance, joining Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan and Larry Doby. On Friday, Harper produced a career-best 453-foot homer. On Saturday, Harper produced career hit No. 500 and scored his 100th run this season. Harper became the fourth active player to reach 500 hits before his 23rd birthday, joining Alex Rodriguez, Starlin Castro and Mike Trout. For the season, Harper has a National League-best .339 average. He is bidding to become the NL’s youngest batting champ since Hank Aaron in 1956. Harper ranks third in the league with 34 homers, trailing only Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado (36 apiece).
Ryan Zimmerman has a 10-game hitting streak, during which he is hitting .439 (18-for-41) with four doubles, six homers, 18 RBIs and 10 runs scored. Zimmerman had Sunday’s game off to rest.
Stephen Strasburg departed a start last Sunday with neck tightness and will be pitching with significant extra rest against the Mets on Wednesday. Tanner Roark pitched Friday against the Braves in Strasburg’s spot to ensure Strasburg remained lined up to face the Mets.
Center fielder Michael Taylor returned to the starting lineup on Sunday after dealing with a bruised right knee, which he originally injured banging into the outfield wall on Aug. 27. The injury did not stop Taylor from delivering a pinch-hit, walk-off, three-run homer in the 10th inning on Friday against Atlanta. Ex-Met Matt den Dekker delivered a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings in that game.
Infielder Trea Turner, the 13th overall pick in June 2014 by the San Diego Padres, made his major league debut on Aug. 21.
Jordan Zimmermann has won four straight starts. He was pulled from his last outing after 87 pitches with the Nats blowing out the Braves to keep him fresh for Tuesday’s start against the Mets. Zimmermann allowed one run on two hits in six innings in that outing, but also walked a career-high-matching four batters and had his first balk in four years.
Denard Span underwent left-hip surgery on Tuesday. Span had only recently returned from a 52-game absence over a pair of DL stints for back woes.
Drew Storen, reduced to a setup role with the acquisition of Jonathan Papelbon from the Philadelphia Phillies, has an 8.53 ERA in his last 12 appearances.
Aaron Barrett underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday.
