This may have not been the #1 motivation for the Mets controversial decision to start Bartolo Colon on Opening Day – a decision that paid off in spades after the Mets defeated the Nationals 3-1.
But one competitive benefit of this move, is barring weather postponements, the Mets top two arms, Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey are set up to start the first two games of the annual, always hyped Subway Series vs their crosstown rival New York Yankees on April 24-26 at Yankee Stadium.
That gives the Mets the chance to get early supremacy over their rivals, who have been the more superior NY team over the years..
The Mets’ early season schedule could give them a nice boost in April. They do start the season in D.C. vs the Nationals and their frontline starters, Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg. However the Nats will be without some of their top position players in third baseman Anthony Rendon, right fielder Jayson Werth and centerfielder Denard Span.
The Mets will then play 9 of 13 against the Braves and Phillies, two teams expected to finish in the bottom of the NL East .
After that comes the Yankees.
