MLB Standings: New York Mets Taking Control of NL East Over Washington Nationals

By Damon Salvadore First Posted: Aug 19, 2015 03:14 PM EDT

The New York Mets currently sit atop the National League East.

On Tuesday the Mets eked out a much-needed victory over the Baltimore Orioles, 5-3. Jacob deGrom was once again fantastic, allowing just one run in that start against the Orioles. With that win, deGrom is now 12-6 with a 1.98 ERA. Mets fans have been comparing his year to Tom Seaver's 1971 season when he had a 1.76 ERA.

Overall, the Mets pitching staff has been fantastic this entire season, ranking second in the league in team ERA. Only the St. Louis Cardinals have allowed fewer runs this year. Pitchers Matt Harvey and Bartolo Colon have contributed another 21 wins for the Mets this season.

The Mets rank 26th in runs scored this year, but they are still five wins ahead of the Nationals for the division lead. The Mets have a 7-6 head-to-head record against the Nationals this season. Their latest win over the Orioles couldn't have come at a better time considering they were just swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are battling for an NL wild card spot with the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs.

Part of the reason the Mets have been able to distance themselves from the Nationals is because of what they did at the trade deadline. Trading for Yoenis Céspedes has proven to be a great addition. Another reason the Mets sit in first place in the division is because of their home dominance. The Mets have 42 wins playing at Citi Field. That's the second most in the entire league behind only the Cardinals, who have 45 wins at Busch Stadium.

Curtis Granderson leads the Mets in home runs, total hits and runs scored. Lucas Duda has the highest slugging percentage on the Mets, and he leads the team in runs batted in. The Mets don't have a single player with a batting average over .280, but their offense has been improving.

Fortunately for the Mets, they get an easy schedule after the Orioles. The Mets' next three series will be against the Colorado Rockies, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

The Nationals sit in second place with a .500 record of 59-59. They did win the NL East last season, but injuries, poor play and inconsistency have halted major success this year. The Nationals have lost six of their last seven games, and hopes of repeating as NL East champs are slimming down.

Bryce Harper has been having a great season, but the Nationals offense hasn't been impressive at all this season. The Nationals' pitching rotation hasn't been able to stay fully healthy either as they now rank 14th in team ERA. The Nationals will get to play the Mets six more times this year beginning Sep. 7.

As for the rest of the division, it hasn't been pretty. This Atlanta Braves squad doesn't resemble anything of the '90s Braves powerhouse teams, and the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies have been absolutely dreadful this year in every way imaginable.