The New York Mets have been thinking about what they had at this time last year.
Who will be selected as the starting pitcher for the opening game? Last year, after weighing Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, they eventually sent Tyler Megil to the opening game against the Washington Nationals. I couldn’t help it. This is because both deGrom and Scherzer suffered injuries at the end of the exhibition game.
The members changed this time. Instead of deGrom becoming a free agent and moving to the Texas Rangers, he recruited American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. Scherzer or Verlander will be in charge of the opening game this season.
Regarding this, Mets coach Buck Showalter spared his words in an interview with local media on the 28th (Korean time), saying, “If everything goes back to normal, we will sort out what choices we will make.” That means we haven’t made any concrete plans yet.
First of all, Scherzer made his first appearance in spring training on the 27th in an exhibition game against Washington. In two innings of work, he gave up three hits and allowed one run, while striking out five. It can be said that he showed a good condition.
Verlander’s first appearance in an exhibition game is an away game against the Miami Marlins on March 5th. It is not easy to predict the starting pitcher for the opening game over the date of the first appearance of the two pitchers.
The Mets’ regular season opener will be an away game against Miami on March 31 at Londippo Park. It is one month from now, and many variables are lurking in the meantime. In particular, the Mets have a three-day rest period until the opening game because the final game of the exhibition game is on March 27.
Regarding this, MLB.com said, ‘The Mets’ season schedule is more flexible this year. “If Scherzer and Verlander start as scheduled this weekend and maintain a five-day rotation during the exhibition period, both can make it to Opening Day.” As for the opening day, Scherzer is on the 5th day and Verlander is on the 6th day,’ he explained.
Also, among the two pitchers, the pitcher who starts the second game of the opening three games against Miami will also pitch in the home opener against Miami on April 7th. In the end, it means that Scherzer and Verlander will split the season opener and home opener.
Coach Showalter said, “We’re looking at the exhibition game and the schedule at the beginning of the season. We have a lot of strategies, especially when it comes to off-days.”
However, the local media sees that coach Showalter has decided on the selection for the opening match in his heart. In an official interview on the first day of spring training, coach Showalter said, “That’s a good question, but it doesn’t matter.”
Regarding this, the New York Post said, “The fact that Coach Showalter said that he could control the selection for the opening game is a sign that he has already decided in his mind.” This season, logically, Scherzer, who tried to concede last year, seems to be right.”스포츠토토
The two have already eaten together with the Detroit Tigers. It was five years from 2010 to 2014, when Scherzer, a junior, was involved. However, during the same period, all selections for the opening match were taken by Verlander. At the time, Verlander was rated one step higher than Scherzer. Scherzer made six career starters and Verlander made 12.
It is noteworthy that the two players have the same annual salary this year. Verlander signed a two-year, $86.66 million contract with the Mets. He receives 43.33 million dollars (57.3 billion won) each this year and next year. Scherzer signed a three-year, $130 million free agent contract at the end of 2021. Also, his annual salary is $43.33 million. The Mets treated them as joint aces by making their salaries the same.