The two best pitchers in the National League square off here - Jacob deGrom versus Max Scherzer. Between them they have won the last three National League Cy Young Awards.

So why get involved backing the Nationals? They are the superior team with home field advantage. Washington has won 72 percent of its last 32 home games when Scherzer has started.

Much of that is built into the line where the Nationals are favored. But what sways me completely over to the Nationals' side is the unique backstory to the Mets' travel arrangements.

The Mets didn't orginally fly to D.C. from their Florida-based spring training, but to Syracuse, N.Y. to conduct practices there in cold weather to celebrate the town being where their new minor league Triple A affiliate is.

This game goes at an an early start time and part of the Mets' travel itinerary involved being on a bus and low level hotel. Making matters worse is their team flight from Florida to Syracuse was delayed three hours. The team wasn't happy with this arrangement, particulary star pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who spoke out against it.