The Washington Nationals host the New York Mets on May 18, 2026. First pitch from Nationals Park is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on NATS.
The Mets are favored by -135 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Nationals are +114 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 10.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Mets vs Nationals prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Mets vs Nationals Prediction
- Mets vs Nationals Pick: Mets Over 5.5 Team Runs (-105, DraftKings)
My Mets vs Nationals best bet is on New York to record 6+ total runs. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Mets vs Nationals Odds
| Mets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -138 | 10.5 -101o / -117u | -135 |
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +114 | 10.5 -101o / -117u | +114 |
- Mets vs Nationals moneyline: Mets -135, Nationals +114
- Mets vs Nationals over/under: 10.5 (-101o / -117u)
- Mets vs Nationals spread: Mets -1.5 (+114), Nationals +1.5 (-138)
Mets vs Nationals Probable Pitchers
| Christian Scott | Stat | Jake Irvin |
|---|---|---|
| 20-26 | W-L | 23-24 |
| 0.2 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.3 |
| 3.45 / 3.92 | ERA / xERA | 5.91 / 5.72 |
| 3.67 / 4.28 | FIP / xFIP | 4.64 / 4.50 |
| 15.7 | K-BB% | 12.9 |
| 25 | GB% | 40.7 |
| .324 | BABIP | .308 |
| 107 | Stuff+ | 98 |
| 98 | Location+ | 99 |
Mets vs Nationals MLB Betting Preview
The Mets are my model's top projected run-scoring team against Jake Irvin. I would say the Mets have seen a lot of him playing in the same division, but that wouldn't exactly be true since the majority of this Mets lineup wasn't on the team last year.
Regardless, we know it's a good spot because Irvin just stinks against everybody. He has a 5.91 ERA this year and now possesses the league's third-worst ERA among pitchers with 30-plus starts dating back to last season. Only German Marquez and Jack Kochanowicz have been worse.
You also have the development that the Mets lineup is rounding into form. Carson Benge has adjusted well and sports an OPS near .900 in May. AJ Ewing has hit the ground running after his promotion, and they've gotten great performances lately from Mark Vientos and even Brett Baty. And then there's that Juan Soto guy. It's a good lineup right now.
What I don't want to do is bet on Christian Scott against a Nationals lineup that has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year. So let's stick to the Mets offense.
Pick: Mets Over 5.5 Team Runs (-105, DraftKings)
