Mets are good now. Can the Nats be, too?

The Nats have done what they have needed to for a whole ten days now!  Three series in a row! Probably the best baseball they've played since the end of April. But now comes some real important serieseses, NL East serieseseses. It'll be four game vs the Mets then a couple versus the Phillies and if the Nats want to make the playoffs they kind of have to start making up ground now.  Some might say there's a lot of time left and a lot of games left after these and that's kind of true (12 vs Mets and 11 vs Phillies) - but it gets late early.  Don't make up ground here, and the next time could become a HAS to situation.

How are the Mets?  They are good now! They've gone 14-6 in their last 20 to open up a nice lead in the NL East - 4.5 games over the Phillies and 7 in front of the currently 4th place Nats. They haven't been particularly lucky either as the pitching has remained top notch and the bats have woken up. In the last 28 days McCann is hitting great, Smith and Lindor are hitting ok, Billy McKinney (replacing an injured Conforto) has hit like a star. Jonathan Villar (replacing an injured Davis) has hit well. Alonso is hitting ok. Pillar is not bad. The only big issue is replacing the injured McNeil (yes a lot of injuries). They were so bad early on that the numbers still don't look great but trust me they've been average hitting for average and walking and better than that for power for a few weeks now

Pitching wise in the pen a couple arms got bad, a couple arms have gotten good. They have four arms that are lights out right now Diaz the closer, Lugo (admittedly just back), Loup, and Reid-Foley. The Nats have gotten lucky in missing deGrom , even if he can only go 3-4 innings before tapping out they will be scoreless innings, and Stroman who is a solid winning pitcher who eats up innings. This might have caused a problem normally for the Mets, but given the 7 IP DHs they'll probably be ok unless a pitcher just gets bombed. As a group there isn't a weakness to go after. They don't give up hits or walks or homers

Probables

Joey Lucchesi vs Fedde - Fedde came back to completely shut down the Giants last time out. One more such outing and he's going to make believers out of most but he's still only two starts into this good stretch. Lucchesi is a guy I really liked that had a couple of bad outings early on as I don't think he and the Mets were on the same page on what they wanted him to be. Now, however, he is finding his groove as a 2+ times through guy.

David Peterson/Robert Gsellman vs Ross/Lester - Mets say Peterson first for the double headers, Nats say nothing. Ross had his own great start last time out - and like Fedde he's not far removed from mediocrity.  I think it's clear either could have played as a 5 but now they need to be more. Lester was fine against PIT but his K numbers (7 in last 3 games, not more than 4 in a long while) are troubling. There's a crafty lefty things going on but also a time bomb element here as he's giving up homers and some hits. Peterson is the guy the Mets (and Mets fans) liked more than Lucchesi who is like Lucchesi but gives up a tiny bit more hits and homers... and a ton more walks.  I don't get it. Gsellman is a converted starter who needs to focus on control so he can let his junkballing style get him groundballs and not walks and hits. Can the Nats hit into 6 DPs in one game? We might find out. 

Taijuan Walker vs Corbin - Corbin had a good outing after a good result start and that's going to make people think things. He needs this one to get me thinking positively though.  Walker has been the pitching gamble that has paid off.  The lack of homers can't keep up but everything else is not too crazy.  

Nats need 3-1, can survive 2-2 but that'll force a win into a later part of the stretch I outlined.  1-3?  Then we start talk about packing it in.