The Mets start off the 2022 tonight in DC!
The universe had one more delay planned for the 2022 season – weather. The Nationals made the smart move last night and moved the start of the game back 3 hours to 7:05 to allow the rain to clear out of the area.
The Mets come into tonight’s game with sky-high expectations and after a tumultuous week. The Mets greatly improved their roster this winter and had one of the top rotations in baseball until a week ago. Tylor Megill, who at the start of spring training seemed slated for Syracuse, will make his first Opening Day start after a strong start and a wise tactical move by Showalter to not rush any other pitchers in the Mets rotation to pitch Opening Day.
In two games and 6 2/3 innings during spring training, Tylor Megill allowed two unearned runs from five hits and five walks while striking out 7. Over 18 games last season he pitched 89 2/3 innings with a 4.52 ERA, 4.69 FIP, 1.283 WHIP and an 89 ERA+. Homers were his big weakness – he allowed them at a 1.9 HR/9 IP clip last season. In two starts against the Nationals last season he allowed 6 earned runs from 8 hits and 4 walks over 11 innings of work. The Nationals have the following stats against him:
- Alcides Escobar 2-6, HR, K
- Lane Thomas 1-6, HR, 4 K
- Josh Bell 2-5, HR, 2 K
- Carter Kieboom 1-5, 3 K
- Juan Soto 0-2, 3 BB
- Ehire Adrianza 0-3, BB
- Luis Garcia 1-4, 2B
The Nationals tore down their roster at the trade deadline last year and are committed to the rebuilding process for this season. Tonight though the Mets draw the veteran in the rotation, Patrick Corbin. Corbin had his worst season in his career last year posting a 5.82 ERA, 5.41 FIP, 1.468 WHIP and a 70 ERA+ over 31 starts and 171 2/3 innings. This includes a league leading 111 earned runs and 37 homers. Spring training was much nicer to Corbin where he allowed 4 runs, none earned, over 9 innings of work from 6 hits (including a homer).
Corbin made three starts against the Mets last season and allowed 9 runs from 22 (!) hits and 5 walks over 17.0 innings of work. Mets batters have the following numbers against Corbin:
- Pete Alonso 10-30, 2 2B, 4 HR, 4 BB, 11 K
- J.D. Davis 10-29, 3 2B, 4 HR, 3 BB, 8 K
- Starling Marte 7-26, 2 2B, 2 BB, 5 K
- Brandon Nimmo 4-21, BB, 9 K
- Jeff McNeil 4-19, 2B, BB, 3 K
- Francisco Lindor 5-15, 2B, 2 K
- James McCann 3-10, 2B, BB, 3 K
- Eduardo Escobar 2-8, HR
- Tomas Nido 1-5, 2 K
Let’s Go Mets!
