MLB team the NY Mets beat more than anyone else last year will be a pest in 2025

Since winning the 2019 World Series, the Washington Nationals have only finished above fifth place in the NL East once: last year when they were fourth. Their 71 wins in 2023 and again in 2024 is the best in those post-World Series seasons. Even if we include the shortened 2020 campaign, their .433 winning percentage was slightly lower than the .438 from these past two years. They’ve been mostly irrelevant to the New York Mets other than completing an unholy foursome of every other NL East team winning a championship since the last time we did.

The Nationals are getting increasingly better. Another year of experience for the kids landed in several impactful trades should only benefit them. Furthering the help are the additions made to target the Mets with plenty of revenge storylines abound for 2025.

On Sunday, notorious Mets killer Paul DeJong was added on a one-year deal. The inconvenient addition to the Nationals roster only further proves they’re going to be a pain this coming year.

Mets killers and rejected former players will make the Nationals more formidable in 2025

The Nationals were no problem for the Mets last year. An 11-2 record against their NL East foes went a long way toward getting them into the postseason. A game below .500 against the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies and just one above versus the Miami Marlins, games against Washington were an outlier.

Don’t expect the same cakewalk in 2025. Along with DeJong, the team has added dismissed Mets reliever Jorge Lopez to the bullpen. He finished the year strong with the Chicago Cubs. Surely, he has intentions of shutting down the Mets late in games. Once upon a time top Mets prospect Amed Rosario, whom the team traded in the Francisco Lindor deal, also found his way to D.C. It has been a much longer time since he last wore a Mets uniform. Undoubtedly, he’d like to perform well against a team that moved on from him even if it was for an MVP candidate.

PECOTA projects the Nationals at about 67-95. Not an outrageous potential conclusion, the difference we’ll care about is whether or not DeJong continues to rake against a team he has embarrassed throughout his career. A .322/.347/.695 hitter with 11 home runs in 124 plate appearances against the Mets, just one game-winning hit could always be the difference. The Mets literally needed every win from last season.