The New York Mets and Washington Nationals wrap up another chapter of their NL East rivalry on September 26, 2026 at Nationals Park. First pitch is set for 12:35 p.m. ET. Here’s everything you need to know before the game.
Game Info
- Matchup: New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals
- League: MLB
- Date: September 26, 2026
- First Pitch: 12:35 p.m. ET
- Venue: Nationals Park
How to Watch
United States (English)
- New York Mets: SNY · PIX 11 (WPIX) over the air · SNY streaming · available in-market via the MLB app (no local blackout)
- Washington Nationals: Nationals.TV · WTTG Fox 5 over the air · Nationals.TV streaming · available in-market via the MLB app (no local blackout)
United States (Spanish)
- Telemundo — presented the Opening Day broadcast
- UniMás / TUDN — MLB En Vivo (Tuesdays 9 p.m. ET) and MLB Esta Semana (Saturdays 3 p.m. ET)
- Universo — Sunday Night Baseball in Spanish; 25 featured games in 2026 via Telemundo Deportes
- FOX Deportes — regular season and Spanish simulcast of the FOX postseason (Division Series, Championship Series, World Series)
- ESPN Deportes — ESPN retained Spanish-language rights for its linear package of 30 games
- Peacock — Sunday Night Baseball in Spanish
🇲🇽 Mexico — 10:35 a.m. local
- Canal 5 — 55 regular-season games; deal runs 2026–2028
- NU9VE (Canal 9) — Sunday game of the week
- ESPN — approximately 6 games per week
- TUDN
- Canal FOX — 5-game weekly package: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and two Saturdays
- Disney+ — 6 additional games per week + ESPN simulcast
🇻🇪 Venezuela — 12:35 p.m. local
- Televén (free) — mainly weekends; free streaming on their mobile app
- 1BASEBALL — 24-hour baseball channel, up to 3 games per day; available via Simple, Inter, and NetUno GO
- ByM SPORT — 6 days a week via Inter and Simple
- IVC — Tuesday through Sunday
- ESPN — live and on-demand
- Disney+
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic — 12:35 p.m. local
- Teleantillas Canal 10 (free) — 7 games per week, one per day, free to air; seventh consecutive year; covers Opening Day through the full World Series, including the Futures Game, Home Run Derby, All-Star Game, and entire postseason
- ESPN
- 1BASEBALL — via Altice
- FOX / FS1 / FS2 / FOX Deportes
- teleantillas.com.do (free stream)
- MLB.TV
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico — 12:35 p.m. local
- WAPA Deportes (free) — regular season, typically Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; exclusive island broadcast of the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby
- MLB.TV
A note on MLB.TV: MLB.TV remains an out-of-market product. An in-market local subscription exists for 22 of 30 clubs, sold separately inside the MLB app (approximately $19.99/month or $99.99/season), and carries no local blackout. Games exclusive to national broadcast partners (Netflix, NBC/Peacock, Apple TV, FOX, ESPN) are not part of the MLB.TV package — that’s not a blackout, they simply aren’t included. No public MLB.TV blackout map exists for Latin American countries.
Team Records
- New York Mets: 73–87 (.456)
- Washington Nationals: 76–84 (.475)
Starting Pitchers
- Mets — Jonah Tong (RHP): 2–2, 4.21 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 25 strikeouts in 25.2 innings
- Nationals — Connelly Early (LHP): 7–5, 3.44 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 93 strikeouts in 91.2 innings
Keys to the Game
Washington has the edge on the mound. Connelly Early has been one of the more reliable starters in the Nationals rotation this season — a 3.44 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 91.2 innings is a strong line for a team that’s been building toward the future. Jonah Tong is still finding his footing at the big-league level (4.21 ERA, 25 strikeouts in just 25.2 innings), so the Nationals’ lefty has a clear statistical advantage heading into this one.
Both clubs are playing out the string — Washington at 76–84 and New York at 73–87 — but late-September games still matter for momentum, roster evaluation, and pride. Expect both sides to play hard in front of a home crowd that deserves a strong finish.
This article will be updated after the final out with the result, key plays, and video highlights.
