Thursday, March 28, 2019 • 1:05 p.m.
Nationals Park • Washington, D.C.
RHP Jacob deGrom (10-9, 1.70 in 2018) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (18-7, 2.53 in 2018)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM
Mets baseball is back!
For the first time in a while the Mets turned over their roster quite a bit as there are a number of players who could be making their orange and blue debuts today. The NL East is going to be competitive this year with 4 of 5 teams actively working towards a win now mindset. It’s difficult to say with a straight face that games in April matter, but 16 of the first 18 games the Mets play are against the NL East and the first 9 games are against the Nationals and the Marlins. This should feel familiar if you followed the Mets this spring: since 3/15 the Mets have faced the Marlins and Nationals 7 times.
Mets Lineup
- Brandon Nimmo – LF
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Robinson Cano – 2B
- Michael Conforto – RF
- Wilson Ramos – C
- Jeff McNeil – 3B
- Amed Rosario – SS
- Juan Lagares – CF
- Jacob deGrom – SP
Nationals Lineup
- Adam Eaton – RF
- Trea Turner – SS
- Juan Soto – LF
- Anthony Rendon – 3B
- Ryan Zimmerman – 1B
- Brian Dozier – 2B
- Yan Gomes – C
- Max Scherzer – SP
- Victor Robles – CF
Not only is it Opening Day, it’s also deGrom day! Jacob deGrom is coming off of one of the best seasons I’ve ever witness a pitcher have in a Mets uniform (I’m 30 if that helps you figure out who I’ve seen and haven’t seen). Last year he went 10-9 over 32 starts and 217.0 innings posting a 1.70 ERA (league leading), 216 ERA+ (league leading), 1.99 FIP (league leading) and a 0.912 WHIP. He also led the league in HR/9 at 0.4. Another fun fact: he ended last year at 269 strikeouts putting him at exactly 1000 K’s in his career. The newly extended deGrom faced the Nationals 3 times last year totaling 20.1 innings allowing 6 runs, 5 earned from 13 hits and 5 walks (2.21 ERA). The Nationals have the following numbers against Jacob:
- Anthony Rendon 2-23, 2B, 6 BB, 7 K
- Ryan Zimmerman 5-24, 2 HR, 8 K
- Howie Kendrick 2-26, 6 K
- Trea Turner 7-25, 2B, HR, BB, 10 K
- Michael A. Taylor 1-24, 13 K
- Adam Eaton 4-10, 2 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
- Matt Adams 3-10, 3B, 4 K
- Juan Soto 1-3
Jacob deGrom last year beat Max Scherzer for the Cy Young Award, and Max will be looking for his revenge today. Max was 18-7 (league leading in wins) over 33 games and 220.2 innings (lead leaguing) striking out 300 (league leading). He posted a 2.53 ERA, 168 ERA+, 2.65 FIP and a 0.911 WHIP (league leading). Last year he faced the Mets twice, allowing 6 runs over 14.0 innings from 10 hits and 4 walks while striking out 18. The Mets posted the highest ERA (3.86) against Max than any other NL East team, but the Mets also faced him the least amount of times last year. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Michael Conforto 8-23, 4 HR, 3 BB, 8 K
- Robinson Cano 3-18, HR, 2 BB, 6 K
- Brandon Nimmo 2-13, HR, 2 BB, 8 K
- Juan Lagares 1-13, BB, 9 K
- Wilson Ramos 1-8
- Amed Rosario 2-6, 2B
- Jeff McNeil 1-3, 2B, 2 K
- Keon Broxton 1-1, HR
Game Notes
Jacob “Afternoon deLight” deGrom’s 1.92 daytime ERA (309 innings) is the lowest in the majors since at least 1913.
In the history of Major League Baseball, the Mets (37-20, .649) have the best winning percentage on Opening Day. After losing their first eight Opening Day contests, the Mets have won 37 of their last 49 Opening Day games (.755). They have also won 10 of their last 13 openers.
Mickey Callaway noted on Wednesday night and Thursday morning that first base will not be a platoon, Alonso will get a majority of the starts. He also noted that bullpen matchups are one of the reasons for Alonso hitting second.
Today is the fourth time in major league history that the Cy Young winner (Jacob deGrom) faced the runner-up (Max Scherzer) on Opening Day the following
season.
Let’s Go Mets!
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