The Mets' Opening Day matchup is the perfect test for their new lineup
Also - the Mets will be honoring Davey Johnson in 2026, and Carson Benge has selected his number
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets announced that they will be wearing ‘Davey’ patches on their jerseys to honor the late Davey Johnson in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1986 World Series championship (Official)
Carson Benge will wear number 3 for the Mets; the last three Mets to wear that number are Jesse Winker, Tómas Nido, and Curtis Granderson
MLB.com experts predicted that the Mets will win the NL East (MLB.com)
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
In the latest Patreon exclusive episode of The Just Mets Podcast, Andrew and Rich prepare for 2026 by drafting the MLB teams who they believe will win the most games during the regular season. Sign up for our Patreon for the full episode.
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Today’s Game 📆
The Mets kick off the regular season against Paul Skenes and the Pirates tomorrow at Citi Field!
Paul Skenes is the perfect test for these contact-oriented Mets ✍️
Opening Day 2026 is finally upon us, and the Mets are starting the season off with a bang as Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates make their way to Queens.
Skenes has faced the Mets twice and beaten them once. The preternaturally talented pitcher has allowed just three runs over 13 innings, with 14 strikeouts against five walks. No matter how good the Mets have historically been on Opening Day in the past, Skenes presents a tall order to go up against — literally and figuratively.
But there’s reason for optimism that this team can eek out yet another Day One win.
Each time the Mets have squared off with Skenes, they’ve managed to make it interesting. They’ve worked at least five hits and scored at least one run in each contest — not anything to write home about in a vacuum, but an encouraging baseline to build from.
In their May matchup last season, Skenes struck out six Mets while allowing just one run…but it wasn’t that simple. He also issued three walks and gave up six hits on eight hard-hit balls, including three doubles. The Mets hit horribly with runners in scoring position that day (3-for-14), so Skenes’s line could have easily looked very different.
Could it be that these Mets might have Skenes’s number? No, not really…but kind of.
Among the current Mets, Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, and Mark Vientos all have at least one hit off Skenes in limited looks. To be fair, Skenes has also struck out Polanco and Juan Soto twice each, and just about everyone else in the rest of the lineup except Lindor at least once a piece. But even though they don’t have the hits to show for it, the Mets have made some excellent contact against Skenes’s stuff.
In their last meeting, the Mets generated 18 batted balls and worked Skenes for 92 pitches over his six innings. Though he kept their scoring impact limited (thanks in no small part to two double plays with runners in position), the Mets made him work, and they got bat to ball a decent amount. Mets hitters also stayed disciplined in the box that day, chasing just 20% of what Skenes threw them.
If the Mets can repeat a similar formula — prolonged at-bats, steady contact, and some power behind the ball — I’d be willing to bet they can manufacture a few extra runs this time around. We saw this lineup flash big-inning potential quite a few times this spring. That’s something I expect to translate from camp to regular season campaign.
Freddy Peralta, meanwhile, has fared quite well against the hitters that currently comprise the Bucs’ lineup. Only Bryan Reynolds has hit notably well against him, with a homer, a triple, two doubles and a 1.031 OPS against Peralta; he’s also struck out 13 times. Other than Reynolds, Marcell Ozuna is the lone current Pirate to have seen Peralta more than 20 times. In those matchups, Ozuna has six strikeouts and a .597 OPS. Oneil Cruz and Nick Gonzales have each homered against Peralta, but not much else — Peralta’s struck them out eight total times in 26 total plate appearances.
On paper, this matchup seems made for the Mets to defy some odds and hand Skenes his first Mets L. The key in their last matchup against Pittsburgh was to stay in the game long enough to wear Skenes down and deliver late-inning blows to the bullpen. As good as Skenes has been against Mets hitters, Peralta has been more than effective against Pirates past and present, with 119 strikeouts over 99 innings of work against the franchise. If there’s anyone who can keep opposing bats as quiet as Skenes may keep the home team’s, it’s Peralta.
Is anything I just listed above all that substantive or predictive? Probably not — we’re dealing with spring-sized samples and two very different looking rosters from the last time they met. But the overall headliners remain the same, and I refuse to believe that there aren’t at least some discernible threads this team can think to pull on in hopes of unraveling Skenes early and starting 2026 with another Opening Day win.
Ultimately, I’m just ready for meaningful baseball.
Around the League 🚩
MLB’s No. 2 overall prospect Kevin McGonigle broke Tigers camp and will be on the Opening Day roster (MLB.com)
Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs have reportedly agreed to a six-year, $115 million contract extension (MLB.com)
Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 Angels in four innings of work in the Dodgers’ spring training finale (MLB.com)
The Marlins signed recently-released OF Austin Slater to a major league deal (MLB.com)
The Yankees announced that RHP Luis Gil did not make the Opening Day roster and will start the season in Triple-A (MLB.com)
Cannot wait until tomorrow's game. #LGM
Feeling good about this team. World Series or bust? NY teams do weird shit on anniversary seasons too. Could be magical in the 40 years since ‘86!