The Mets face the Astros on Opening Day in Houston on Thursday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

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Mets Notes

• Clay Holmes is on the mound for the Mets in what will be his first big league start in the regular season since his rookie year with the Pirates in 2018
• Juan Sotois making his official Mets debut
• Francisco Lindor is beginning his fifth season as a Met. Over his first four years in Queens, Lindor has finished in the top 10 in National League MVP voting three times
• Pete Alonso is 26 home runs shy of tying Darryl Strawberry for No. 1 in franchise history

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SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Mets questions from readers. Here's the latest...

Is Kodai Senga on a pitch limit, for sure? – @KrankingKranick

I’m told that all Mets starting pitchers, including Senga, will be on a somewhat limited pitch count in the early part of the season. This isn’t Senga-specific, though he might be built up a bit less than the others.

Big picture, the best way to talk about the Mets’ pitching might be to think of it in terms of a staff rather than a "rotation.”

The Mets will be comfortable using their bullpen aggressively behind all their starters and will expect to use their organizational depth – not to mention external additions – to cycle through fresh arms over the long season.

The front office has acquired, and the player development staff has developed, pitchers with high-end stuff, many of whom are relievers. Manager Carlos Mendoza will utilize these pitchers at all points in games.

The philosophy will, at times, challenge traditional baseball discussion. If Mendoza removes, say, a reasonably effective Tylor Megill with one out in the fourth inning at 75 pitches, some talk radio callers will go bananas. But it’s worth noting at the outset of the season that this is the expected approach.

Does Brett Baty have a chance to ‘Wally Pipp’ Jeff McNeil? And do you see him sticking around once McNeil returns if not? Are the Mets happy with the Jose Siri/Tyrone Taylor platoon in center? – @tmcgrathBC

To cut to the very heart of your first question, it’s not clear that either of the players you name will be the Mets’ long-term solution at second base. McNeil’s hold on the position has clearly weakened over the past year, but David Stearns and Mendoza value plus defense up the middle. McNeil offers more of that than Baty, who, through no fault of his own, was born with the body of a corner infielder.

Baty dove wholeheartedly into learning second base, taking great pleasure in the newness of positioning, cuts, throws, etc. The Mets are lucky to have a touted prospect so willing to do whatever he can to make the roster. Not long ago, teams valued offense more than defense at second base – remember the Dan Uggla era? – but that is generally no longer the case. On the plus side for Baty, he has a strong throwing arm, an underrated tool at second that is useful in turning double plays.

Consider this, though: Baty is on the team essentially as Jose Iglesias’ replacement. Remember Iglesias’ above-average range and magic hands? If McNeil and Nick Madrigal (the infielder originally signed to replace Iglesias, who is now out for the year) were healthy, it’s hard to see Baty making the Opening Day roster. He remains an imperfect fit for that role. But he has worked his tail off, and he can hit. Let’s see what happens.

To answer your second question, the Mets are in great shape in center field. Siri is an elite fielder in the Harrison Bader mold. Count on Stearns to always bring in a plus-plus glove at that position to help offset Juan Soto in right. The Yankees were unable to this last year with Aaron Judge in center, but Stearns will not fall into that trap. Siri will also contribute power from the bottom of the lineup. And Taylor’s ability to play whenever and somehow produce makes him a manager’s dream.

Do you think Stearns will make a move for a high-end starter this year? – @StengelCase

Yes.

Who do you see as the top pitcher at the end of the year for the Mets? It can even be a player the Mets trade for. – @TaddHilyard3

Dylan Cease or Michael King.

If Pete Alonso struggles in the 3 hole, how long till Mendy makes a change? – @steve60264894

Mendoza will not have this problem because Alonso will hit at least 50 home runs this year. I mean it.

Why you always talking about the Yankees? – @kelsan2415

Here at SNY, we are proud to offer coverage of the entire New York pro sports scene. My question is, why you mad about it?

Are you excited or are you excited? – @metsandanime

I am excited.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino answers Yankees questions from readers...

Why are they so secretive with Stanton? Has he officially been placed on the IL and for how many days? No replacement, so is it Rice\righty platoon at DH? - @BillBrown35

I don’t know about secretive. I am told that Stanton responded well to the PRP shots and should be back to contribute before too terribly long. There is no exact timetable, but it does not sound nearly as dire as, well, Stanton made it sound when he called the injury “severe.”

Yankees officials were not as alarmed as fans by Stanton’s choice of words. The organization has long known Stanton as a player who does not sugarcoat injuries or provide overly optimistic prognoses. He’ll be out a while, don’t get me wrong. But the expectation is that he’ll be back with more than enough time to provide his typical late-season and October heroics.

In the meantime, yes, Ben Rice along with Aaron Judge and others will take the DH at-bats. External additions are always possible, too. Brian Cashman and his staff never stop looking.

Why do you think we care about the Yankees so much? Most of us are Mets fans. Genuine question! - @HeismanHedley

Your phrase “most of us” struck me. For whom are you presuming that you speak? Your social media bubble, which is naturally self-curated? Who are you to define what “us” means?

This is like when people on Twitter say “Mets fans think this” or “Mets fans think that.” Baseball fans are a diverse group with a wide range of opinions, most of whom are not on Twitter. Why not just speak for yourself? I accept and respect that you do not care about the Yankees.

Why can’t Juan Soto keep the Yankees out of his mouth - he chose to take the most money from the Mets , but he’s trying to play the victim card here by saying he still keeps tabs on the Yankees and their offseason … why can’t he just move on - @shamshirosenfe2

I find the fan angst on both sides of town regarding Soto’s feelings about the Yankees to be strange.

He is a human being who had a profound experience with his previous employer, coworkers and fan base. He initially hoped to return to that job, and then made a difficult decision to accept a new job at a company whose resources and culture left a strong impression on him and his family. He subsequently balanced feelings of loss with excitement about the new coworkers and fan base.

When reporters ask him about this, he does his best to answer openly, likely knowing that social media bullies will parse his every word despite his good faith attempts to share nuanced and evolving feelings.

In other words, let’s all give this young man a break.

What's your favorite vendor at Yankee Stadium? - @benjamntenison1

Christian Petroni meatballs and cheesy garlic bread. Yum yum.

Do the Yankees still win the division? - @drjevans182

I have Boston winning the American League East and the Yankees making the playoffs. My reasoning is that the Red Sox have dramatically improved their starting pitching by adding Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler and imported championship-caliber edge (and elite third base defense) with Alex Bregman. Alex Cora is a difference-making manager whose clubs exploit opponents’ weaknesses -- remember the Jose Trevino stolen base extravaganza at Fenway last year?

The Yankees should still be good, even without Gerrit Cole and, for several months, Luis Gil and Stanton. They have Max Fried and oodles of homegrown talent that could lead the offense. Players like Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells and Rice feature swings perfectly tailored to Yankee Stadium. And like the Red Sox, they have one of the best managers in the game.

Here is my list of the top Opening Day memorable moments for the Mets all time...

1) Gary Carter’s Debut: Mets 6, Cardinals 5, 10 innings, April 9, 1985, Shea Stadium

Acquired in a surprise trade from the Montreal Expos the previous December, Carter was viewed as the final piece of a team with championship potential. So when he sent a full house at Shea home happy with a game-winning home run off former Met Neil Allen in the bottom of the 10^th, this Opening Day had a Hollywood feel to it.

It was also the first shot fired in a season-long battle with the Cardinals for NL East supremacy, and Carter went on to have a great year, hitting 32 home runs with 100 RBI. As it turned out, of course, the Mets finished three games behind the Cards in ’85 and so it wasn’t until the next year that Carter helped deliver the championship GM Frank Cashen envisioned when he made the trade to get the future Hall of Fame catcher.

2) The Franchise Returns: Mets 2, Phillies 0. April 5, 1983, Shea Stadium

Six years after the Mets infuriated their fan base by trading Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds, their star pitcher was back at age 38, having been acquired from the Reds the previous December after the worst season of his career.

Welcomed back with a standing ovation as he took the mound, Seaver pitched six scoreless innings in a duel with Steve Carlton and wound up getting a no-decision when the Mets scored two runs in the seventh. 

It made for a feel-good story in an otherwise forgettable season as the Mets went 68-94, their seventh straight losing season, and then lost Seaver again when the Chicago White Sox surprised them by claiming him in a free agent compensation draft the following January.

3) Darryl Strawberry’s Roof Shot: Mets 10, Expos 6. April 4, 1988, at Montreal

Having been there for this Opening Day, I’d make the case that you had to see Strawberry’s mammoth home run off Randy St. Claire to truly appreciate it. It’s still the longest, highest shot I’ve ever seen, as it seemed to climb forever above the right field stands until it crashed into the rim of lights just below the roof of Olympic Stadium.

Long before the Statcast technology that now measures home runs, a physics professor from a local college in Montreal calculated that the ball would have traveled 525 feet had it not essentially hit the top of the dome. For Strawberry it was his second home run of the day and quite a start to a superb season that included 39 home runs and 101 RBI as he finished second in the NL MVP voting to the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson.

4) First Opening Day Win: Mets 5, Pirates 3, 11 innings. April 7, 1970, at Pittsburgh

Nope, the Mets didn’t always win on Opening Day. In fact, they lost the first eight season openers before breaking through on this day at Forbes Field in their first game following their miracle championship ’69 season.

Seaver pitched eight strong innings but the game was tied until Donn Clendenon, fresh from winning the World Series MVP Award the previous October, delivered a pinch-hit, two run single in the 11^th, and Tug McGraw then got the last three outs for the save.

5) Raising The Flag: Mets 3, Pirates 2, April 7, 1987, Shea Stadium

The 1986 world championship was the second in franchise history but because the Mets opened the season in Pittsburgh after their ’69 title, this was the first Opening Day they could celebrate by raising the championship flag.

Nevertheless, the day had a bittersweet feel to it for the Mets, coming only a week after they were stunned to learn that Dwight Gooden had tested positive for cocaine and entered a rehab facility in New York. 

In what he said was a tribute to his teammate, Darryl Strawberry wore Gooden’s uniform pants in the opener and had the decisive hit, a three-run home run in the first inning that Bob Ojeda and Jesse Orosco made stand up for the win. 

6) The Strangest Day: Mets 1, Braves 0, July 24, 2020, Citi Field

At 81 degrees it had to be the hottest Opening Day ever but that was hardly the strange part. Due to the pandemic, no fans were allowed in the ballpark, and while crowd noise was pumped in via the sound system, the quiet was eerie at times, especially when Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to provide the only run of the game.

Cespedes’ heroics seemed to be a good omen for the 60-game season, but within a month he was gone, opting out due to COVID-19 concerns, though reports surfaced of his unhappiness at potentially being benched at times. Meanwhile, the Mets would never climb above .500 the rest of the season, losing seven of their next nine games en route to a disappointing 26-34 record.

7) Johan Santana’s Debut: Mets 7, Marlins 2, March 31, 2008, at Miami

After their historic September collapse in 2007 the Mets were hoping that acquiring Santana from the Minnesota Twins in a blockbuster trade would be the boost they needed to get back to the postseason. And Opening Day, as usual, offered plenty of promise.

The two-time Cy Young winner pitched seven strong innings andDavid Wright, in what would be a spectacular 33-home run, 124-RBI season, had a pair of doubles and three RBI to lead the Mets to an easy win. Santana would go on to pay dividends on the trade all season, posting a record of 16-7 with a league-leading 2.53 ERA, but the Mets fell short of the postseason again, eliminated from wild card contention on the final day of the season in a loss to the Marlins, the last game played at Shea Stadium.

8) Extras In Atlanta: Mets 6, Braves 4, 10 innings, April 3, 2001, at Turner Field

Coming off their World Series season in 2000, the Mets had high expectations, all the more so after their Opening Day win against the team they could never seem to beat when it counted in those days.

Al Leiter pitched seven strong innings, then both teams blew late-inning leads before Robin Ventura’s two-run home run in the 10^th off Kerry Lightenberg put the Mets ahead and Armando Benitez closed out the win. 

However, with Mike Hampton gone via free agency the Mets couldn’t repeat their success of 2000, finishing 82-80, making for second-guessing that maybe they should have taken up free agent Alex Rodriguez on his desire to play in Queens.

9) Pedro Martinez’s Debut: Reds 7, Mets 6, April 4, 2005, at Cincinnati

It felt like a hugely important day as Martinez, freshly-signed after his 2004 championship season with the Boston Red Sox, signaled the start of a big-spending era under GM Omar Minaya, racking up 12 strikeouts in six solid innings.

However, closer Braden Looper gave up two home runs in the ninth to blow a 6-4 lead and the Mets would lose five straight games before new manager Willie Randolph got his first win. 

Pedro delivered a strong season, going 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA, and though the Mets fell short of the postseason with 83 wins, their first winning season in four years set the stage for big things to come in 2006.

10) Meet The Mets: Cardinals 11, Mets 4, April 11, 1962 at St. Louis.

After four years without a National League team in New York, thanks to the Giants and Dodgers leaving for the west coast, the Mets began play as an expansion team on this Opening Day in St. Louis, and the ugly loss, which included three errors, turned out to be a sign of things to come.

Gil Hodges did make history in this game by hitting the first home run for the new franchise, and that proved to be a bit poetic when he later managed the Mets to their 1969 championship. But it was an awfully long inaugural season as the Mets stumbled to a record of 40-120, which included a 17-game losing streak in May and June, finishing a mere 60 ½ games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League.

With all the lore and big moments in Yankee annals, you know they’ve got some Opening Day highlights. For instance, maybe you heard about the time a big Yankee star blasted the first homer ever in the ballpark that was (nick)named for him?

We’re looking back at the top moments in Yankees Opening Day history. 

April 14, 1908

Stump your friends: What pitcher threw 12 shutout innings for the Highlanders (the Yankees’ former name) on this Opening Day? Slow Joe Doyle, that’s who! He allowed only six hits in a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. You’re welcome.

April 18, 1923

What, you thought Wally Schang was going to hit the first home run at brand-new Yankee Stadium? In the first-ever game at this baseball palace, aka The House That Ruth Built, Babe Ruth smashed a three-run shot in the third inning, delighting a crowd listed at 74,200 strong. More fans milled around outside, unable to get in to see the show. Bet they were happy, too.

April 12, 1932

Ruth was in his age-37 season, but still lethal. He was 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI in the Yankees’ 12-6 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. Samuel Byrd homered twice and Lou Gehrig homered and tripled in the rout.

April 17, 1951

There was a lot going on when 44,860 folks crowded into Yankee Stadium for this Opening Day. Mickey Mantle, wearing the No. 6 jersey he was initially assigned, was starting his career. Joe DiMaggio was playing in his final opener. A new public address announcer, who’d stick around for quite awhile, was making his debut. The first batter that Bob Sheppard announced? Joe’s brother, Dom DiMaggio, the center fielder for the Boston Red Sox. In the only opener in which Joe DiMaggio and Mantle played in the same outfield, both went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Vic Raschi threw a six-hit shutout in the Yanks’ 5-0 victory.

April 13, 1955

Bob Cerv and Mantle had four RBI apiece as the Yankees hammered the Washington Senators, 19-1, in front of 11,251 at Yankee Stadium.

April 19, 1960

Please allow Roger Maris to introduce himself: In a remarkable debut, Maris, acquired in a big trade with the Kansas City Athletics, batted leadoff and went 4-for-5 with two homers, a double and four RBI. Quite a kickoff event for his first two seasons in pinstripes, which brought consecutive AL MVP Awards and an assault on the single-season home run record.

April 6, 1973

This 15-5 loss at Fenway Park was mostly forgettable, except for this: In the top of the first inning, Ron Blomberg of the Yankees became the first designated hitter in baseball history when he drew a bases-loaded walk against Luis Tiant.

April 6, 1974

Yankee Stadium was being refurbished, so the Yankees played at Shea Stadium. Mel Stottlemyre threw a complete game, allowing one run and seven hits, to beat Gaylord Perry and the Indians, 6-1, in front of 20,744 fans.

April 9, 1981

The Yankees kicked off a World Series season with an opener made memorable by Bobby Murcer’s pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning.

April 2, 1996

Everyone knew Derek Jeter was an uber-prospect, but doubt swirled over whether he was ready, mainly in the owner’s box. This was the Steinbrenner Era Yankees, after all, and at one point The Boss wanted to swap a skinny pitcher named Mariano Rivera to Seattle for shortstop insurance in the form of Felix Fermin. Luckily, no one listened to that ranting. Jeter swatted away all the nonsense with a star turn on Opening Day, homering off Dennis Martinez and making a great catch to steal a hit from Omar Vizquel in a 7-1 victory in Cleveland. Oh, and it was Joe Torre’s first game as Yankee manager, too. It all worked out OK after that, didn’t it?

April 3, 2006

In a 15-2 blowout in Oakland, Alex Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI and Hideki Matsui was 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.

April 1, 2008

In a hello-goodbye kind of day, Joe Girardi made his debut as Yankee manager in the final opener at the old Yankee Stadium. Chien-Ming Wang made it a happy occasion, allowing only two runs in seven innings to beat Hall of Famer Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays, 3-2.

March 29, 2018

Giancarlo Stanton turned his first game as a Yankee into a power show, blasting two homers and a double in a 6-1 victory in Toronto.

July 23, 2020

The Cole Train and the Hype Train ran on parallel tracks as big-money free agent Gerrit Cole made his first start as a Yankee amid all the fanfare over his $324 million contract and his vapor-trail fastball. He delivered. Cole allowed one hit in a five-inning complete game in a 4-1 victory over the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Stanton homered in this one, too, a mammoth 459-foot blast off then-Nats ace Max Scherzer.

When the Yankees couldn’t re-sign Juan Soto over the winter, they pivoted to a run-prevention plan that included streamlining a pockmarked defense, adding one of the best free agent starters in lefty Max Fried, and trading for dazzling closer Devin Williams. Nice. 

But that plan took a serious ding this spring when Gerrit Cole needed Tommy John surgery. Fried is still a great signing and will front their staff, but the Yanks are far weaker now that they don’t have Cole, one of the few rotation lions still working in baseball’s age of the “five-and-fly” starter. 

Now it’s fair to wonder if the Yankees’ lofty goals – a repeat trip to the World Series, this time with a victory parade – are in peril. Luis Gil and Giancarlo Stanton are out to begin the season, too. Yuck.

But the Yankees still have Aaron Judge, the single greatest offensive force in the game – his OPS of 1.159 last year was 123 points higher than Shohei Ohtani’s (Yes, that Ohtani) – and they added what they believe will be lineup help in Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. 

And who knows what Jasson Domínguez can bring now that he’s going to get a chance – finally. If it seems like you’ve been hearing about his outsized talents before he was even born, well, it’s because he’s one of the most-hyped prospects ever, even in an age when teenagers are treated as untouchable diamond gods though they have miles to go before they sniff the majors. 

Now, however, it’s Domínguez’s time. Is it the Yankees’ time, too? The answer would be much simpler if Cole were pitching this year. 

What the Yankees have going for them

Judge. You know why, if you’ve been paying even cursory attention to baseball the past few years. If he’s healthy, he might hit 60-plus home runs again. 

Their bullpen, led by Williams and his “Airbender” changeup and setup man Luke Weaver, is strong, though Weaver must prove that his 2024 breakout (2.89 ERA!) was not a one-year surge. The Yanks have been very good at finding other relief contributors, sometimes from unlikely candidates, too.

The remaining arms in the rotation are solid. Carlos Rodón can be confounding every five days, but his ceiling is high – can’t stop thinking about that nails Game 1 start against Cleveland in the ALDS last year. Clarke Schmidt holds promise for more than he’s delivered in his young career, too. Fried is a ground ball machine and the Yanks now own the gloves to scoop ‘em up. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back at second base, probably his best position, and he and Anthony Volpe should form an athletic keystone tandem. Chisholm, one of four players with at least 24 homers and 40 steals last season (Ohtani was one of the others), is a power-speed blend who could be ready to go even bigger.

Goldschmidt, if he provides, say, 20 homers and strong defense at first, will be an enormous improvement over what the Yanks have gotten out of first base in recent years. Yankee first basemen had a .335 slugging percentage in 2024, the worst in the majors at the position. 

We’ll get to third base in a separate category. That’s foreshadowing, if it wasn’t clear. 

Bellinger, in center field, should help on defense and his lefty swing could thrive in Yankee Stadium. Most projection systems have him getting to the low 20s in home runs, but perhaps the short porch helps him to a power infusion that gets him into the 30s again. We’ll see. 

Catcher Austin Wells, coming off a huge spring, is an ascending player with power and catching acumen. He slugged 13 homers last season. Can he get to 20 or perhaps beyond, this year? Another player who had a huge spring, Ben Rice, could be an interesting lineup wrinkle.

The Yankees will make the playoffs if…

Judge is healthy all season. 

Judge led the majors last year in too many categories to list, even in an Internet article. There is enough behind him to get the Yanks into the tournament where they can, as usual, take their chances in October’s cauldron. Even without the wondrous Soto, the Yankees should score.

Of course, it would help if Domínguez turns out to be even half as good as some of his boosters say he’ll be, Bellinger hits, Chisholm continues to grow, and Volpe finally makes an offensive leap. Volpe increased his average by 34 points (to .243) last year, but his homers dipped from 20 to 12. 

This would help, too – a triumphant Stanton return from tennis elbow in both elbows. He hit seven homers in 14 postseason games last October, a huge factor in the Yanks getting to the Fall Classic. The ugly swings he sometimes takes are cringe-inducing, but his power is an undeniable, game-changing (series-changing!) weapon. 

They need to squeeze something out of their rotation depth, too, considering what’s happened so far. Good thing they kept Marcus Stroman after trying to trade him over the winter. Will Warren, a talented youngster, and pickup Carlos Carrasco should have impact, too, at least early on. 

Crisper, more athletic defense profiles as a must, too, all over the field. Domínguez, who was so worrisome on defense last year that the Yanks kept using Alex Verdugo instead, is key here.

The Yankees will miss the playoffs if…

Judge is not healthy all season. 

Remember 2023? We might not have realized it at the time, but the Yanks were cooked once Judge hurt his toe crashing into the wall at Dodger Stadium. The Yanks finished 82-80, everyone was big mad, and it was easy to wonder if a longer-term lull was looming in the Bronx. 

It remains to be seen if third base is a crater that hurts their chances, too. The Bombers go into the season with Oswaldo Cabrera as the likely starter, though he’s been mostly a utility player (and human caffeine as a hype man) in his career. They clearly wanted DJ LeMahieu to take the job to start, but he got hurt in camp. 

So it’s fair to ask: Did they fall one winter move short here? 

And, since it’s the Yankees and we know their recent history with aches and aging players, the specter of the IL always lurks. They must stay healthy (they haven’t already). Judge most of all. 

Final record and playoff prediction

88-74
Third in the AL East
Second Wild Card spot

Chill, they’re making the October tournament. Everyone seems to think the AL is the weaker league this year. Maybe so, but tell it to the AL East, a minefield of a division, what with the Red Sox improving, the Orioles flashing immense young talent, the how-are-they-always-problematic Rays, and the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays, who someday might put it all together as a club.

That’s why the Yanks profile as third place finishers. The real test always comes in October, anyway. The Yankees get there thanks to Judge, defense, and pitching. The front office, under GM Brian Cashman, has always shown a willingness to add at the deadline and they’ll probably need to, so they could be different (better!) in a few months. 

Moves help push them into the ALCS and a meeting with the revived Texas Rangers. That’s where the pinstriped season ends, unless Judge has the playoff series of his life, the monster one Yankees fans have been craving. 

As with everything Yankees, so much depends on Judge.