Mets Fall to Nationals 6-4 in Season Finale: Pick Review

by Earl·September 28, 2026

The Nationals closed out 2026 with a 6-4 win over the Mets at Nationals Park on Sunday, a Game 162 result that changed nothing in the standings but said plenty about how these two rosters are built heading into the winter. Washington scored early against Sean Manaea and never trailed.

The premium pick: 1-2.

Mets moneyline — LOSS. New York never led. Manaea gave six innings but allowed five earned runs on seven hits, including two homers, and the offense couldn't dig out.
Nationals +1.5 — WIN. Washington won by two, so the run line was never in doubt.
Under — LOSS. Ten combined runs cleared the number comfortably. Both starters were hit hard, and DJ Herz lasted just three innings (4 ER, 6 H, 2 HR).

Prop plays: 2-1.

Brady House over 0.5 hits — WIN. The lefty-on-lefty split held up: one hit, one run, one RBI in a productive day.
Carson Benge over 1.5 total bases — WIN. Benge delivered three hits and three total bases, the loudest offensive line of the afternoon.
James Wood over 1.5 total bases — LOSS. Wood finished 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts, managing zero total bases. The contact quality was there all year; Sunday it simply didn't show up.

Takeaway: The platoon-driven prop logic worked exactly as designed — House and Benge both cashed against a left-handed starter, while Wood's power never materialized. The game-level calls were a reminder that in a meaningless finale, pitching lines and run totals are far less predictable than individual batter splits. When there's nothing on the line, lean on the matchup edges you can isolate, not the team-level ones.