Mets-Nationals Preview - MLB

New York (55-51) at Washington (49-56)
Trading away a key contributor with another one possibly on the way out isn’t slowing down the New York Mets.

Daniel Murphy(notes) and David Wright(notes) are big reasons.
The duo look to continue their torrid pace at the plate as the Mets attempt to match their longest winning streak of the season Saturday night against the sputtering Washington Nationals.
New York (55-51) had already traded away closer Francisco Rodriguez to Milwaukee earlier this month before dealing Carlos Beltran(notes) to San Francisco on Thursday for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.
The Mets may also opt to move star shortstop Jose Reyes(notes) prior to Sunday’s non-waiver trade deadline.
Those deals and swirling rumors don’t appear to be deterring the Mets, who have won five in a row following Friday’s 8-5 series-opening victory over the Nationals (49-56).
“Our guys have realized that nobody in this league is going to feel sorry for you just because you lost Carlos Beltran,” manager Terry Collins said. “They got to go play and not worry about stuff we can’t control, trades and everything else. All you’re going to do is get beat. These guys have decided they’ve got things to prove and they’ve done a great job.”
They’re now on the brink of matching their season-high six-game winning streak set April 21-27, which ended with a loss at Washington after winning the first two of that series.
Murphy is 13 for 25 with six RBIs in six games while ranking among baseball’s leaders with 28 doubles. He’s also hitting .361 since May 26, increasing his season average 72 points to a career-high .318.
“I’m just trying to hold onto that feeling as long as I can,” Murphy told the team’s official website. “It’s a fickle game. You never know when it might try to leave you.”
Wright has a .459 average with two homers and 12 RBIs in eight contests, collecting at least two hits in seven.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey(notes) (5-8, 3.74) will try to win consecutive starts for the first time since September.
The right-hander allowed two runs with seven strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-2 win at Cincinnati on Monday, the sixth time in his last seven starts the Mets have won.
Dickey is 1-1 with a 2.56 ERA in six games - five starts - against the Nationals. He was solid at Washington on April 27, yielding two runs in 6 2-3 innings before leaving without a decision in a 6-3 victory.
The Nationals, losers of six in a row, are on the cusp of their longest slide since dropping eight straight Aug. 28-Sept. 5, 2009.
Jason Marquis(notes) (8-5, 3.95) gets the ball for possibly the final time with Washington since the club is reportedly entertaining offers for the right-hander ahead of the trade deadline.
He’s 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in four home starts since beating Philadelphia on May 31.
Marquis labored through 108 pitches in six innings, allowing three runs - two in the first - and five hits with a season high-tying four walks in a 3-1 loss at Los Angeles on Sunday.
He’s 1-4 with a 6.30 ERA in his past seven starts against the Mets. However, he was impressive in the most recent matchup April 10, fanning nine while giving up three runs in six innings of a 7-3, 11-inning win.