Mets' Clippard: It will be 'weird' to face former Nationals teammates

By foxsports
Published

Newly acquired New York Mets admitted it will be "weird" to face his former teammates when the Washington Nationals visit Citi Field this weekend in a showdown between the NL East's best two teams.

"I pitched for that organization for seven years, so to be on the other side of the coin, it'll be a little awkward," Clippard told NJ.com. "But I'm looking forward to it."

Clippard called the Nationals "beatable" in his first remarks to the media after he was acquired from the Oakland Athletics earlier in the week. He's embracing the chance for the Mets to cut into Washington's three-game division lead.

"I mean this is what we want," said Clippard, who was traded by the Nationals to the Athletics in the offseason. "This is an opportunity for us to win the series and inch closer to them. I think we're all looking forward to that opportunity."

Clippard may be in position to have a greater impact on the series given the recent struggles of Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who has blown all three save chances since the All-Star break and surrendered a go-ahead three-run homer in Thursday's 8-7 loss to the San Diego Padres.

"That’s the life of a reliever,” Clippard told reporters Thursday after making his second straight scoreless appearance for the Mets. “It’s feast or famine for us.”

(h/t NJ.com)