New York Mets vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 5/20/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Mets vs Washington Nationals

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: Nationals.TV

Odds/Point Spread: New York (-128) Washington (+106)

The Washington Nationals (23-23) welcome the New York Mets (19-26) at Nationals Park on Wednesday. The odds on this game have the Mets at -128 and the Nationals are sitting at +106. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be David Peterson and Zack Littell.

New York has a slugging percentage of .349 and have been called out on strikes 355 times, while drawing a walk on 142 occasions. They have accrued 166 RBI's and 349 base knocks this season, and their team batting average is .227. The Mets have tallied 61 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 38 balls out of the park. They have notched a total of 176 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .295. As a team, the New York Mets are putting up 3.8 runs per outing, which ranks them 27th in the league.

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They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.63 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.28. Mets pitchers have conceded 39 home runs and 192 total runs (9th in baseball). New York has conceded 361 hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 173 earned runs. The Mets have compiled a team earned run average of 3.76 this year (8th in the league), and their staff has struck out 439 hitters. They have walked 167 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.55 as a team on the campaign.

The Mets have sent 136 relievers to the hill for the year. The relievers have inherited 65 runners this season with 38.5% of those players ended up scoring. The bullpen have notched 14 holds on the campaign (29th in MLB). Mets pitchers have entered the contest with players on base 48 times and also have had 60 appearances in high leverage situations. They have recorded 7 saves over the course of the season and have blown 5 of 12 chances to get a save. The Mets relievers have recorded a save rate of 58.3% and stepped onto the hill in 26 save situations.

The Mets have transformed 69.3% of balls in play into outs out of their 3,726 innings, which has them sitting at 22nd in baseball. The New York Mets have accounted for 1,242 putouts on the campaign, as well as 375 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .985 which has them ranked 20th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 29 double plays.

Peterson has thrown 665 innings and has totaled 660 punch outs thus far in his career. His ERA is 4.21 (311 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.387. He has given up 644 base knocks (8.7 hits per nine innings) with 279 walks. Peterson (39-34 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.14 and he has gone up against 2,874 opposing batters in the major leagues.

The Washington Nationals have recorded an OBP of .324 and a batting average of .244 on the year. They have been called out on strikes on 399 occasions (12th in baseball) and have earned a total of 393 base hits. Washington has recorded 57 long balls on the season as well as 240 RBIs. The Nationals have a SLG% of .414 and they are scoring 5.43 runs per contest (1st in MLB). They have recorded 91 doubles, while getting a free base 173 times and scoring 255 runs.

The Nationals have a WHIP of 1.429 and have a FIP of 4.98 as a unit for the season. They rank 28th in baseball as a staff in total hits given up with 423. The Washington pitching staff have allowed 268 runs this year while holding an ERA of 4.95 (232 earned runs allowed). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 7.80 (366 strikeouts against 180 bases on balls). They have allowed 69 homers and they allow 5.72 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league).

Washington relievers have an inherited score percentage of 46.3% of 67 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 52 times in high leverage situations in addition to 46 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 53 save situations, the Nationals have earned 25 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. They sit at 27th in baseball with a save rate of 50.0%, and they have sent 155 relievers onto the diamond on the campaign.

The Washington Nationals have turned 33 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .975 (30th in professional baseball). The Nationals have racked up 424 assists, 43 errors and have earned a total of 1,266 putouts for the year. Out of their 3,798 innings on the diamond, the Nationals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (24th in MLB).

Littell (36-33 career record) has a 4.03 ERA while conceding 9.0 hits per nine innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.44 and he has gone up against 2,702 opposing hitters in his pro baseball career. He has given up a total of 288 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.234 and a FIP of 4.0. So far in his career, Littell has surrendered 644 base knocks and he has 516 strikeouts in 643 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take New York (-128)

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