Mets Set Starting Rotation to Kick Off Season

Mets’ manager Luis Rojas announced the team’s starting rotation on Tuesday via Zoom, with Jacob deGrom kicking off the action with the Opening Day nod on Thursday against the Washington Nationals and Max Scherzer.

After Friday’s off day, Marcus Stroman will get the ball Saturday against the Nats, and David Peterson will close out the weekend series on Sunday.

Taijuan Walker will then start Monday away at Philadelphia, followed by deGrom and then Joey Lucchesi or an opener on Wednesday to finish off the series.

Since the Mets have an off day this upcoming Friday, it allowed the team to give deGrom two starts within the first five games.

For deGrom, this will be his third consecutive Opening Day start. The only other starters in Mets’ history to do so as well are Tom Seaver (10 straight), Dwight Gooden (four straight) and Johan Santana (three straight).

Peterson will get the nod as the No. 3 starter this time around, likely do to Walker pitching this past Monday in the team’s final spring tune up.

Over the weekend, the Mets also experimented with an opener, having right-hander Jacob Barnes pitch the first inning before handing the ball over to Lucchesi in the second. They could choose to do something similar in Philadelphia.

This is likely how New York’s rotation will look going forward, barring anything unforeseen or until Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard return.