High-spending Mets assured of first last-place finish since 2003 with 7-6 loss to Nationals

WASHINGTON (AP) — The high-spending New York Mets were assured their first last-place finish since 2003, losing to the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Friday night as Josiah Gray earned his first major league save in his first home appearance in more than two years.

Dylan Crews homered for the Nationals (76-84), who have won nine of 12 and are guaranteed fourth in the NL East. They have been fourth or fifth for seven straight seasons since winning the 2019 World Series.

New York (73-87), which began the season with a major league record $358.4 million payroll, will finish last for the first time since it was 66-95 in 2002.

Bo Bichette and Carson Benge homered for the Mets. Benge became the first Mets rookie with 20 homers and 20 steals in a season.

Gray worked around Juan Soto’s two-out walk in the ninth, getting Bichette to hit a soft grounder to the mound to cap his first outing at Nationals Park since April 4, 2024. An All-Star in 2023, Gray underwent Tommy John surgery the following year and did not return to the major leagues until last week.

Gus Varland (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Jonathan Pintaro (2-3) was the loser.

Up next

New York RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 4.21 ERA) starts as the series continues Saturday in a game moved up to 12:35 p.m. because of rain forecast later in the day. LHP Connelly Early (7-5, 3.44), acquired from Boston for Curtis Mead on July 26, will come off the injured list to make his first start for the Nationals.

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