Who knows how far this can go? The long season will give you an answer. But based on Opening Day play, fans have something to hope for.
On Thursday afternoon, Mets prized prospect Carson Benge justified the team’s decision to be on the team’s Opening Day roster by hitting his first career home run and stealing a base. It would have been the headline of the day had it not been for the Mets’ 11-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the season opener at Citi Field.
This game was about the Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns roster makeover. For one game, the Mets executed his vision of how it would be on offense by grinding out at-bats, getting on base, and capitalizing on opportunities.
It resulted in 11 runs, 11 hits, nine walks, and 21 baserunners by the home team. They loaded the bases five times, including four in the fifth inning. Perhaps the most telling stat was how many pitches the Pirates threw in the first five innings–a gawdy 152 pitches.
The Mets showed their prowess right from the get-go. Hitters fouled off pitches, got two walks, and landed on base six times. Sounds impressive on its own, but they did this against Pirates ace, and arguably the best starter in Major League ball, Paul Skenes. They batted around to the point Skenes left the game in the first inning after throwing 37 pitches and the Mets scoring five runs.
During that explosion, the home team capitalized when Brett Baty hit a bases-loaded triple with the help of Oneil Cruz misplaying the ball where it landed over his head, giving them a 4-2 lead in the first inning.
They did it again in the fifth inning. They fouled off pitches and worked out a couple of walks to get that inning going. Bo Bichette had a 13-pitch at-bat against Pirates reliever Issac Mattson, including fouling off four pitches in a row. Mattson won the battle against Bichette by striking him out.
No matter. The Mets and Bichette won the war when Mattson imploded, walking Jorge Polanco with the bases loaded and then giving up a single to Luis Robert Jr. to tack on another run. By then, the Amazins took a 9-4 lead.
Most everyone liked what Stearns did this offseason by adding proven hitters who know how to get the job done, which is why everyone is high on the Mets to do great things this season.
Robert had a 10-pitch plate appearance against Skenes in the first inning, which resulted in a walk. This set the tone for Baty’s heroics. The type of at-bat Stearns wanted to see. He did the same thing in the fourth inning that resulted in an RBI single, giving the Mets a 6-3 lead.
Marcus Semien had two hits, including driving in Baty with an RBI double in the first inning, as Cruz lost the fly ball in the sun, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead. Polanco drew two walks and scored a run. He also had a base hit. Bichette struck out three times, but on this day, this can be disregarded based on his ability to extend the team’s at-bats in the fifth inning and in the first inning when he ratcheted up Skenes’ pitch count.
This is a credit to Stearns for identifying and acquiring the guys that fit the Mets’ new offensive approach. This will come in handy during a pennant race and in the postseason.
The Mets were a one-dimensional team over the last few seasons, relying on home runs. It helped that they had a guy who hit for power in Pete Alonso. He was the only guy who was a line-drive hitter, unlike Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. It’s easy to understand why Stearns wanted to tweak the team’s hitting approach after awful offensive output in the final two months of the season.
They received back-to-back home runs by Benge and Francisco Alvarez in the sixth inning, but by then, the Mets had this game in hand.
On a day like this, a Mets fan can appreciate how the team won. It’s the way baseball should really be played. The hitters showed intelligence at the plate by calculating what the Pirates pitchers were doing on the mound.
Based on the new guys’ track record, this is not just one game; there’s more where it came from. There’s a reason Stearns knows this will work. He saw them play enough to believe it.
Who knows how far this can go? The long season will give you an answer. But based on Opening Day play, fans have something to hope for.
Great column, though, being in Pittsburgh I was disappointed yesterday. But, you know what? Nothing could ruin my mood. Baseball, baby!
Thanks for reading and responding, Ryan.
Paul Skenes deserved better. If Oneil Cruz did not have a bad day on the field, Paul’s statline may have been much better.
Good luck to the Pirates this year. I’ll be rooting for them.
Thanks for reading and responding, Ryan. Glad you liked it.
If Oneil Cruz had better read for the ball, Paul Skenes’ statline would be different and maybe this game is not out of reach, either.
Here’s hoping the Pirates have a good season.