New York at Washington

Washington took the series opener 7-6 last night, building a three-run lead by the third and surviving a Mets rally that cut the deficit to one in the eighth. The pitching setup changes this afternoon. Washington hands the ball to Connelly Early, who hasn't thrown a major league pitch since June 30 and has spent the summer working back from elbow inflammation. He came over in a July trade and still hasn't appeared for his new club, and nobody stretches a returning arm out in the season's final days. That pushes the middle innings onto a bullpen carrying a 5.00 ERA, a group that already covered four-plus innings last night. The Mets answer with relievers at 3.78 and with Jonah Tong, uneven at a 4.21 ERA but coming off six scoreless innings against Baltimore on September 14. Washington scores plenty, third in the majors at 5.09 runs per game, and has won seven of its last ten. It also allows 5.03, 27th in the majors, and today's plan makes that half of the ledger worse. The Mets are 73-87 and three games behind Washington, and none of that changes who can throw strikes today. Take the Mets this afternoon.