The Washington Nationals will host the New York Mets on Opening Day, and all eyes will be on Max Sherzer, who came over from Detroit, signing a $210 million dollar contract with the Nats. Washington is a popular pick to win it all this year, and it's a well deserved favorite at home on Monday.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - Sherzer had himself an impressive showing in spring training, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA. He fanned 23 batters in just 20 innings pitched, so he appears to be sharp heading into the season opener. The same can not be said for Bartolo Colon, who was 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA in five appearances this spring. His age and his health remain a big question mark for the 2015 season.

2. Batter vs. Pitcher - The Nats owned Colon last year, as he was just 1-4 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts against Washington. He didn't have to face Yunel Escobar in those games, and the 32 year old Cuban has hit .429 versus Colon lifetime.

3. X-Factor - The Nats have won eight of their last 10 versus the Mets, and six of their last seven when opening a series at home.

Selection: This is a play on the Washington Nationals (7*)