It wasn’t a Good Friday for the Mets’ offense.
Freddy Peralta fanned eight in six innings of one-hit ball to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 win over New York on Opening Day at Citi Field, spoiling the managerial debut of Carlos Mendoza. It was the fewest hits ever for the Mets on Opening Day, with the previous low being two in 1963.
Photo by Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
New York’s only hit and run came on a Starling Marte home run in the second inning. The 35-year-old turned on a 3-2 fastball for a 381-foot blast to left that gave the Mets a 1-0 lead and delighted the packed crowd who braved 20 mph winds on a 52-degree day in Queens.
Christian Yelich went on to tie the game at 1-1 with a solo home run in the fourth. William Contreras later broke the tie with a sacrifice fly in the fifth while Jackson Chourio added an RBI groundout in the seventh.
With Rhys Hoskins on first in the eighth inning, Willy Adames rolled one over to third. Brett Baty threw to Jeff McNeil at second for the force and McNeil took exception to Hoskins’ slide. McNeil and Hoskins jawed at each other while the benches and bullpens emptied. The Mets challenged the play, looking for an illegal slide call that would have awarded them a double play, but were ultimately denied.
Hoskins has a contentious history with the Mets that goes back to 2019 when he was on the Philadelphia Phillies. Reliever Jacob Rhame threw up and in at the first baseman, who later homered and took a slow trot around the bases.
Mets starter José Quintana gave up two runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.
DJ Stewart was picked off first by the catcher in the second inning on a play that reminded one X user of a controversial obstruction call that went against the Mets in spring training.
Notes
The Mets’ major league best Opening Day record drops to 41-22.
At 20, Milwaukee’s Chourio became the youngest player to hit leadoff on Opening Day since Billy Consolo in 1954, per the SNY broadcast. He also was the youngest Opening Day right fielder since Rusty Staub in 1964. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns signed Chourio as an international free agent when he was 16. He went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a stolen base.
McNeil hit cleanup for the seventh time in his career while Stewart was the designated hitter as the Mets await the arrival of J.D. Martinez.
Bud Harrelson‘s grandchildren threw out the ceremonial first pitches as the Mets are wearing a patch on their uniforms in his honor this season. Harrelson, who played for the 1969 champs and coached for the 1986 champs, died in January at the age of 79.
Key Stat of the Game
The top four hitters in the Mets’ lineup – Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and McNeil – went a combined 0-for-13 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Player of the Game
Marte’s last home run was on July 4, 2023. It was the third straight year that Marte has homered in New York’s home opener.
On Deck
Luis Severino makes his Mets debut vs. DL Hall for Milwaukee. It will be the first look at how Mendoza sets a batting order when facing a left-handed starter. The game will be broadcast on SNY and MLB Network at 1:40 p.m. ET.
