WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor homered, Max Scherzer defeated his former team, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 7-3 Monday night for their seventh consecutive victory on the eve of ace Jacob deGrom’s season debut.
Washington slugger Juan Soto homered off Scherzer in what could be his final game with the Nationals. Soto, who walked in his other three plate appearances, is perhaps the biggest star who could be dealt before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
“I feel good where I’m at,” Soto said. “I understand it’s a business and they need to do whatever they need to do. I’m just another player, another employee here like (former teammate Ryan Zimmerman) used to say.”
Several current teammates could also leave Washington as the Nationals, who own the majors’ worst record at 35-69 and have lost four of five, look to sell for the second consecutive year.
The first-place Mets could acquire some more pieces at the deadline, but their biggest addition will likely be deGrom. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, shut down in spring training with a stress reaction in his right scapula, has not pitched in the majors since July 2021 and will come off the injured list Tuesday. He missed the second half of last season with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow.
Regardless of any potential moves, New York had more than enough Monday to handle Patrick Corbin (4-15) and the Nationals. Jeff McNeil, Tomás Nido and Starling Marte all had RBI singles in the second, and Alonso lined his 27th homer into the visitors’ bullpen in left field an inning later.
Alonso’s homer was the fifth of his career against Corbin, his most against any pitcher. He is a .382 lifetime hitter (13 for 34) against the left-hander.
Lindor added a three-run drive in the sixth…