Newest Mets starter Font to face Corbin, Nationals

It will be a veteran lefty against a newly-acquired right-hander when the Washington Nationals and New York Mets continue their division series on Wednesday night.

Washington lefty Patrick Corbin (3-1, 3.20) has been just what the team needed after he signed a free agent deal prior to this season.

Wilmer Font (1-0, 5.50), acquired by the Mets from Tampa Bay in a May 6 trade, made his first start of the year May 8 as he filled in for the injured Steven Matz.

Font, a right-hander, threw 60 pitches over four innings in San Diego. According to mlb.com, he could last up to 75 pitches against the Nationals if things go well.

In his last game, Font allowed two earned runs on three hits with a strikeout. It was his first start since June 29, 2018.

"I liked his stuff," Mets manager Mickey Callaway told the New York Post. "A downhill fastball, good split, and he flashed a plus-slider a couple of times. He threw strikes and got ahead and did a heck of a job, so that was a great first impression and it looks like we have got a pretty good pitcher there."

It will be the first start for Font against the Nationals. He faced them once before, throwing two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Tampa Bay in June 2018.

Last year Font had a 3.07 ERA in 19 games, with five starts, for the Rays after he was acquired May 25. Tampa Bay won 10 games in a row in which he pitched in from June 13, 2018, to April 17, 2019.

He will face a Nationals lineup that is slowly getting healthy -- though not hitting.

Starters Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto came off the injured list on the recent road trip, and shortstop Trea Turner (finger) began a minor league rehab assignment Monday at Single-A Potomac in the Carolina League.

"Just let him go out there and get a feel of the game again," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Turner. "We will see how he feels after that."

Martinez said first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (foot) and Matt Adams (shoulder) are getting closer to full health. Zimmerman did some baseball activities before Tuesday's game.

"He's a lot better," Martinez said.

New York native Corbin is 1-4 with a 4.83 ERA in his career against the Mets in 11 games, with 10 starts. His only win against them came in 2017 when he was with Arizona.

Michael Conforto, a lefty hitter, is 6-for-14 (.429) off Corbin with four homers. The Mets hitters are 36-for-130 (.277) off Corbin with 10 homers.

In the first game of the series on Tuesday, former Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam in the first inning, and Noah Syndergaard went eight innings and gave up just two runs as the Mets won 6-2. New York improved to 20-20.

"When you are winning, it is more fun," said Callaway. "Now we have to keep it up. We have to take off from here."

The Nationals fell to 2-12 in the first game of series this year and are 7-17 since April 19. Washington has not won two games in a row this year.

Corbin has faced the Mets twice this year, his first two starts of the season, giving up five runs on 13 hits in 12 innings with 13 strikeouts and three walks. He didn't get a decision in either game.

--Field Level Media