N.Y. Mets: La Potencia's Return is a Big Hit

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

OPENING DAY 

⇨ IN JULY ⇦

GAME ONE

BRAVES  0

METS       1

At the very least, with everything going on, Friday's game is historic.  Otherwise there's something about the Mets and Opening Day that always gets fans feeling all warm, orange, blue, and fuzzy.  However, it usually doesn't take long after that before we realize it's the hazy, hot, and humid, New York City summer that we're really experiencing.  Otherwise winning is really cool, especially on Opening Day.  It is an event unto itself, where on the one hand 50,000 fans assemble for a common cause, yet a given fan's individual experience is completely subjective.  Of course, you can say that about any games.  But in life they say be first or be the best.  Sometimes Opening Day is both.  Like Friday's opener against the rival Atlanta Braves ...

LED BY JACOB deGROM, METS WHITEWASH BRAVES

If you like pitching duels, you got treated to one on Opening Day.  Couldn't ask for more.  With the understanding Jacob deGrom recently experienced some back discomfort, I do not begrudge freshman manager Luis Rojas for taking deGrom out when he does.  The Grominator is dominant out of the gate throwing 100-mph fastballs en route to a scoreless one-hit effort through five innings with eight strikeouts.  He throws 72 pitches with 48 (66%) going for strikes.  But alas he is awarded the chronic no decision.  Seth Lugo pitches two scoreless innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts for the victory.  After which Justin Wilson and Edwin Diaz preserve the shutout.  Edwin Diaz faces four batters in the ninth, throwing thirteen pitches with eight going for strikes.  He walks one and fans two en route to his first save.  The Mets four pitchers join together on a three-hit whitewashing of the Atlanta Braves with fifteen strikeouts and just two walks.

Outside of one errant pitch placed center mass of home plate, Atlanta pitching is no less effective.  Starter Mike Soroka and three relievers limit the Mets to just six hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  One pitch is all it takes.  The comeback kid himself, Yoenis Cespedes, deposits a Soroka offering deep into the empty left field seats.  It's Yo's first home run in over two years, and it makes all the difference in Friday afternoon's opener at Citi Field.

La Potencia is back!

Oh ... and so much for social distancing in the dugout.