The New York Mets are back home in the Big Apple following a gruesome 11-game road trip. They were swept in three games at Colorado over the weekend but I think the Mets will rebound with a win Tuesday night when hosting division-rivals the Washington Nationals for the opener of a three-game series.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - The Mets hand the ball to Noah Syndergaard (3-2, 2.53) who snapped a two-game personal losing streak when he tossed eight innings of two-run ball at Dodger Stadium last Wednesday. Syndergaard has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his seven starts this year and he has posted a 1.80 ERA in previous meetings with Washington. The Nats counter with Max Scherzer (4-2, 4.15 ERA) who went the distance when he held Detroit to two runs on six hits with 20 strikeouts last Wednesday. Both of the runs were solo homers though, and Scherzer gave up seven runs (four home runs) in five innings at Wrigley Field on May 6 so it's fair to say that he's struggling with the long ball at the moment.

2. Home Cookin' - The Mets have won eight of their past 10 games at Citi Field. The Nats have lost each of their last four on the road.

3. X-Factor - New York's Yoenis Cespedes hit .321 with six extra-base hits against Washington last season and he is 3-for-9 in previous meetings with Scherzer.

Selection: This is a play on the New York Mets (10*)