Mets-Nationals game suspended, to resume as part of doubleheader Wednesday
The grounds crew bring the tarp on the field during the second inning of a game between the Mets and the Nationals at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Another adventurous round of weather at Citi Field led to another rainout Tuesday.
Nationals-Mets was suspended during the second inning and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday.
Play will resume exactly where the teams left off: with the Nationals leading, 3-1, in the top of the second, with Riley Adams on first and pitcher Paolo Espino (or a pinch hitter) at the plate. The Mets aren’t sure who they will insert in place of starter Carlos Carrasco when the game restarts, manager Luis Rojas said.
The first game Wednesday will be nine innings, since it is the resumption of a suspended contest. The second game will be seven innings, the norm this year for doubleheaders.
That will be the Mets’ 12th doubleheader of the season.
Carrasco threw 33 pitches and recorded three outs before umpires decided the teams shouldn’t play in the ongoing thunderstorm. Juan Soto hit a three-run homer in the first inning. The Mets got a run back — after the rain already had started — with back-to-back doubles from Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith against Espino.
Dark clouds approached Citi Field shortly after first pitch. Rojas said the Mets expected rain within an hour of the game starting.
"But I don’t think anyone was aware it was going to be like this," he said.
The rain delay lasted about two hours before the game was officially suspended.
In the interim, Carrasco kept pitching simulated innings indoors, getting up to five total — a helpful effort as he continues to build up his workload tolerance. Tuesday was just his third start of the season.
"It’s not the same by any means," Rojas said, "but there are some things you can work and he can do [in a simulated game]."
This was at least the third time this year there was questionable weather-related decision-making at a Mets home game.
On April 11, the Mets decided to start a game against the Marlins while it was raining. Umpires called it in the top of the first. That game will be resumed Aug. 31.
On July 6, the Mets and Brewers waited out a 2 1/2-hour rain delay before the game was suspended.
