When Jacob deGrom takes the mound Tuesday for his first major league game in more than a year, he’ll be pitching against a Nationals lineup without any semblance of the one he’s used to facing.
The last time deGrom played his division rivals in Washington, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell were all in the lineup, and Juan Soto was still on the team nursing an injury. The previous time he played them was a matchup against Max Scherzer, who is now his Mets teammate. After Tuesday’s reported blockbuster deal sending Soto and Bell to the Padres, none of those players remain in Washington.
Instead, deGrom will face a lineup that more closely resembles a Triple-A ball club, a team that ranked bottom five in slugging percentage and run production even before the trade. It sets up for the two-time Cy Young winner to have a strong season debut. The Mets are favored by 2.5 runs and have the shortest moneyline odds of the day, -350 at Tipico Sportsbook.
