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Though pitchers and catchers are officially set to report to spring training on Wednesday, many of the Mets’ staff have made their way to Port St. Lucie to get the season going. (Those playing in the World Baseball Classic—like Edwin Díaz and Adam Ottavino—had to report over the weekend.)

As players trickle in over the next week, Buck Showalter took to the podium to provide updates on topics surrounding the team. Díaz also spoke to the media for the first time since his contract extension press conference. Let’s see what we learned.

Starling Marte Should Be Good to Go

Showalter said he doesn’t feel there is anything to cause doubt in Starling Marte’s Opening Day status. The right fielder had surgery on his core in the offseason, and he’s not playing with the Dominican Republic in the WBC as he heals.

No Opening Day Starter… Yet

The Mets’ skipper would not commit to naming an Opening Day starter for the 2023 season yet. The two candidates—Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander—are equally deserving, and it might end up as a toss up. Unlike 2022, where the plan was to have tenured Jacob deGrom start Opening Day (that eventually went to Tylor Megill last minute), there isn’t a clear-cut, elite, tenured pitcher to slot in Opening Day before the spring even starts. “It’s a good problem to have,” Showalter said.

Of Verlander, though, Showalter said “he knows what’s going on” regarding team expectations (winning a World Series), noting that he’s looking forward to going through a full season with the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.

Edwin Díaz is Happy to Be Back

Matching a similar sentiment has Buck Showalter (and Brandon Nimmo the day before), Díaz echoed that the team’s goal is to win the World Series this season. Díaz plans to continue his personal goal of “striking everybody out” now that he’s locked down a five-year, $100 million-plus deal with the Mets.

Pitchers Get to Throwin’

Here’s Kodai Senga putting in work in St. Lucie:

And here’s Justin Verlander: