Opposite dugout: Mets riding momentum following recent sweep

Manager: Terry Collins (6th season)

Record: 25-18

Last 10 games: 4-6

Who to watch: CF Yoenis Cespedes (.298, 14 HR, 35 RBIs), LF Michael Conforto (.284, 8 HR, 12 2B), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (.278, 44 hits), RHP Noah Syndergaard (5-2, 1.94 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (15 saves)

Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2

Pitching probables:

May 23: RHP Bartolo Colon vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN
May 24: RHP Matt Harvey vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASN
May 25: RHP Steven Matz vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 1:05 p.m., MASN

Inside the Mets:

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. The guys in charge of making the baseball schedule clearly aren't too "fond" of keeping the Nationals and Mets away from each other for very long.

The Mets travel to D.C. to open up a three-game series with the Nationals only four days after hosting them in another three-game matchup in Queens. During that series, the script was played out as some would probably expect. Each game was won by the better pitcher on that evening, with Mets ace Noah Syndergaard leading the home team to a 2-0 win in the opener, and Nationals hurlers Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg guiding the Nationals to wins in the final two games. The Nationals took two out of three in that series, giving Washington just a smidge of separation between two teams vying for the National League East crown.

Not much has changed for the Mets since these two teams battled last Thursday. The offense is still led by outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who brings a mild five-game hitting streak into Monday's opener and has his average just under the .300 mark. The 30-year-old outfielder also brings the power for the Mets, leading the team with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs. Left-fielder Michael Conforto isn't too far behind in the power department, however. Conforto is second on the team with a .553 slugging percentage and, though he has only hit eight home runs so far, two of those came in the team's most recent series, a three-game sweep of the Brewers.

Pitching-wise, the Nationals have to be a little excited at the notion that they won't face Syndergaard this time around. The right-hander started Sunday's series finale against Milwaukee and was downright filthy. Syndergaard struck out 11 batters and allowed only one run - unearned, for that matter - in leading the Mets to their 25th win of the season. The Nats will face a pair of right-handers over the next three days, with Bartolo Colon and Matt Harvey. Left-hander Steven Matz will take the hill for the series finale. Harvey is still searching for the success which made him an All-Star in 2013 and a legitimate Cy Young Award candidate. Harvey is just 3-6 this year and is coming off his worst start of the season, a May 19 outing in which he gave up six earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings.

The Mets bullpen, meanwhile, has been sharp throughout the early part of the season. Closer Jeurys Familia has 14 of the team's 15 saves while relievers Addison Reed, Hansel Robles and Jerry Blevins all boast ERAs under 3.00.