Mets win 7th in a row; Soto homers in possible Nats swansong

By PATRICK STEVENS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor homered, Max Scherzer defeated his former team, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 7-3 for their seventh consecutive victory on the eve of ace Jacob deGrom’s season debut. Washington slugger Juan Soto homered off Scherzer in what could be his final game with the Nationals. Soto, who walked in his other three plate appearances, is perhaps the biggest star who could be dealt before Tuesday’s trade deadline. The first-place Mets could acquire some more pieces, but their biggest addition will likely be deGrom. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, shut down in spring training with a stress reaction in his right scapula, has not pitched in the majors since July 2021 and will come off the injured list Tuesday.