Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Good morning, Mets fans!

Edwin Díaz, the Mets’ all-world closer, posted a video on his Instagram page initiating his rehabilitation program with the aim of making a speedy comeback to the field. Díaz sustained an injury during an elimination game between Team Puerto Rico and Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, where he twisted his knee and tore his patellar tendon while celebrating on the field after saving the game. Díaz is likely to be out for the remainder of the season, but there is a possibility of him returning for postseason play if everything goes as planned.

The Mets are undefeated this season, beating the Marlins 5-3 Thursday. They’ll look to keep it going in the second game of the season this evening at 6:40 p.m. ET.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

After undergoing rib surgery, José Quintana has reunited with his Mets teammates in Miami on the day of the season opener, as tweeted by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He talks about his experience during spring training and assures that he will make a return to the team at some stage this season.

Latest MLB News

Robert Murray of FanSided reports that shortstop Orlando Arcia and the Atlanta Braves have reached a consensus on a three-year, $7.3 million contract, which includes a club option for the year 2026. As per the agreement, Arcia will receive $2.3 million in 2023, $2 million in 2024, and $2 million in 2025.

The sports merchandise company, Fanatics, has collaborated with MLB and MLB Players Inc. to launch the “MLB Debut Patch” card series. The card series commemorates a player’s debut in Major League Baseball and features an exclusive game-used jersey patch. The cards will be available for purchase on Fanatics’ official website and select retail stores starting from April 5. In a partnership with Topps, the MLB Debut Patch series is an addition to Fanatics’ existing card lineup and will feature top-rated players such as Wander Franco and Adley Rutschman.

As reported by Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the New York Yankees have requested Major League Baseball to allow them to discontinue the practice of assigning uniform numbers to their manager and coaches. This request is made in light of the Yankees’ unique “retired numbers” issue, where the team has retired numbers for many of their past players, making it difficult to assign uniform numbers to new players, coaches, and managers.

Matt Beaty has been added to the Giants’ roster after being acquired from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations. This move comes as the Giants send Bryce Johnson to AAA, despite his impressive performance during the spring training, as reported by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.

As tweeted by Nathalie Alonso of MLB.com, the Kansas City Royals have appointed Salvador Pérez as the team’s fourth captain in franchise history. Pérez is an experienced catcher who has been a significant contributor to the Royals’ success on the field for years, and he is now set to lead the team as their captain.

According to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried left yesterday’s game due to discomfort in his left hamstring.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the outfielder Stephen Piscotty was released by the San Francisco Giants, per his own request.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the New York Yankees have acquired right-handed pitcher Colten Brewer from the Tampa Bay Rays, in exchange for cash considerations.

According to Danielle Allentuck of the Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard will not be starting the season with the team due to anxiety, and he has been placed on the injured list. Bard has chosen to be transparent about his situation instead of trying to conceal it. Earlier in his career, Bard struggled with the “yips,” which resulted in a seven-year absence from the major leagues.

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In honor of Opening Day, we’re offering a giveaway for a Gary Carter New York Mets 1986 World Series Champions Bobblehead. To participate, simply retweet this tweet and follow us!

Betting Odds for 2023 National League Awards

On This Date In Mets History

1998: The Mets and Phillies played an Opening Day game that lasted 14 innings, tying the National League record for longest Opening Day contest. The game was mostly scoreless, and it took six Met pitchers, led by Bobby Jones, to keep the Phillies from scoring for over four and a half hours. In the bottom of the 14th, with two outs and the bases loaded, backup catcher Alberto Castillo pinch hit for Turk Wendell and hit a short line drive into right-center, breaking the stalemate and giving the Mets a walk-off victory with a final score of 1-0.

Birthdays: Ryan Cordell (31), Bill Denehy (77)

Let’s go Mets!