NEW YORK METS NOTES:
METSCELLANEOUS: The Mets opened their season with a 5-3 win yesterday in Miami…The Mets improved to 41-21 (.661) on Opening Day, which is the best record in major league history…The Mets continue their first road trip of the season, a seven-game trip to Miami (1-0) and Milwaukee (three games).
TWICE AS FUN: New York has started the year 2-0 or better four times in the last 10 years (2022 – 3-0, 2019 – 2-0, 2018 – 2-0 and 2013 – 2-0).
OPENING DAY: After losing their first eight Opening Day contests, the Mets have won 41 of their last 54 Opening Day games (.759)…New York took nine straight openers from 1975-1983 to tie a major league record… The Mets have won 14 of their last 18 openers, including six of the last seven.
THIS ONE GOES TO 11: Jeff McNeil is on an 11-game hitting streak, the longest active run in the majors…He has not struck out once during the streak and has not been punched out in a career-best 12 straight games overall…The last player to have at least one hit and no strikeouts in 11 straight games was Andrelton Simmons (May 23-June 2, 2018)… Only three Mets have had a longer streak of games with a hit and no strikeouts: Félix Millan (twice, 14 games in 1974 and 12 games in 1976), Moises Alou (13 games in 2007) and Tommy Davis (12 games in 1967).
ROSTER MOVES: Prior to yesterday’s game, the Mets placed RHP Sam Coonrod on the 15-Day IL with a right lat strain, RHP Edwin Díaz on the 60-Day IL with a right patellar tendon repair, RHP Elieser Hernández on the 15-Day IL with a right shoulder strain, RHP Bryce Montes de Oca
15-Day IL with a right elbow UCL revision and removal of loose bodies, LHP José Quintana 15-Day with a left rib fracture, RHP Stephen Ridings on the 15-Day with a right lat strain…RHP Justin Verlander will also be placed on the 15-Day IL with a low grade teres major strain.
LET’S GO FISHING: The Mets beat the Marlins 5-3 yesterday in Miami… New York moved to 52-46 at loanDepot park…The team has won three straight and eight of their last 10 games at the ballpark…The team owns a 3.47 ERA at the yard and has hit .250/.325/.406.
PETE AND PETE: David Peterson is set to make his first start of the season tonight in Miami…In 28 games (19 starts) last season, Peterson went 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA (45 ER/105.2 IP) with 48 walks and 126 strikeouts…He has appeared in five games (four starts) against the Marlins and owns a 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA (7 ER/23.0 IP) with eight walks and 26 strikeouts…He has made two career starts in Miami is 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA (5 ER/10.2 IP) with two walks and 15 strikeouts.
WELCOME TO MIAMI: Omar Narváez is a .385 (5-13) hitter with two runs, a double, an RBI and four walks in four career games at loanDepot park…Francisco Lindor owns a .329/.407/.543 slashline with 12 runs, 23 hits, six doubles, three home runs and 13 RBI at the Ballpark…Starling Marte has hit .303/.367/.444…Pete Alonso has socked 11 home runs in 29 career games at the home of the Marlins.
THE DAVID: David Robertson earned the first Mets save of the year last night…It was the 158th of his career…He is now 1-1 with four saves and a 0.71 ERA (1 ER/12.2 IP) with six walks and 20 strikeouts in 11 career games against the Marlins…The Mets signed Robertson to a one-year deal in December of 2022…Robertson, 37, spent the 2022 season between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies where he totaled a 4-3 record with 20 saves and a 2.40 ERA (17 ER/63.2 IP) with 35 walks and 81 strikeouts…He ranked tied for seventh among National League relievers in opponents’ batting average (.173), tied for eighth in saves and tied for ninth in strikeouts…The righty recorded 20 or more saves in a season for the fourth time in career, also doing so in each year from 2014-16.
WE FOUND NIMMO: Brandon Nimmo went 1-3 with a run, a double, three RBI and a walk in the Mets victory yesterday…In 79 road games last year, Nimmo hit .309/.406/.492 with a .898 OPS, 29 extra-base hits and 42 RBI.
David Peterson LHP #23
2022 STATS: 7-5, 3.83 ERA
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL: Peterson made four appearances (three starts) during spring training…He threw 12.0 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit over those four outings…Struck out 13 and walked eight…Peterson last pitched in a minor league game on March 25…In his last Grapefruit League appearance of the spring, allowed one hit, struck out four and walked four over 4.0 scoreless frames vs. the Cardinals on March 19.
2022 RECAP: Set career-high marks in wins (seven), games (28), starts (19), innings (105.2), and strikeouts (126) last season…Went 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA for New York…Appeared mostly as a starter until mid-September…His final five appearances of the season came out of the bullpen…Went 6-5 with a 3.86 ERA (39 ER/91.0 IP) as a starter…In nine relief appearances, Peterson went 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA (6 ER/14.2 IP).
THE RUNDOWN: Peterson allowed four or fewer earned runs in each of his first 18 starts last season…His 18-start streak allowing four or fewer runs was the fifth-longest such streak in the majors by a lefty last season…It was tied for the second-longest such streak by a left-handed Mets starter in a single season and tied for the seventh-longest streak overall by a Mets southpaw in franchise history.
STRIKE ‘EM OUT, STRIKE ‘EM OUT: Peterson struck out at least five batters in 11 straight starts from June 20-September 9 last season, the second-longest streak by a left-handed starter last season…It was the sixth-longest streak by a Mets left-handed starter in franchise history…Peterson had 82 strikeouts across 58.2 innings during that span (13 G/11 GS) good for a 12.58 K/9 ratio.
MIAMI VICE: Peterson will face the Marlins for the sixth time in his career…His last appearance against the Marlins came as a relief pitcher on September 27, 2022 at Citi Field, when he fired 2.0 scoreless innings…He was dealt a loss in his last start against the Marlins, September 9 last season at loanDepot Park, after allowing three runs on five hits in 3.2 innings of a 6-3 Mets setback…Peterson has never allowed more than three runs in a game against the Fish…He has a 2.74 career ERA (7 ER/23.0 IP) against the club.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Peterson had 3.25 ERA (19 ER/52.2 IP) in 13 road outings last season, including nine starts…He is 5-9 with a 4.60 ERA (61 earned runs/119.1 innings) in his career on the road.
LETHAL LEFTY: Peterson limited lefties to a .177 (15-85) average in 2022, tied for the sixth-best opponents’ average in the majors (min. 90 LHB faced)…He whiffed 32 of the 96 left-handed batters he faced last year, a 33.3 percent strikeout rate that ranked fourth among all left-handed pitchers to face a minimum of 90 LHB in 2022.
SLIP ‘N’ SLIDE: Peterson held batters to a .175 (24-137) average with his slider last season and 78 of his 126 strikeouts came on the pitch…His 52.0 slider-strikeout percentage was the second-highest in MLB (min. 150 PA) behind only teammate Edwin Díaz (54.7) and his 47.9 whiff percentage with the pitch was the third highest in the majors behind only Díaz (54.7) and Seattle’s Andres Muñoz (50.8).
FOUR-HIT WONDER: The southpaw allowed four hits or fewer in 12 of his 19 starts and 21 of his 28 appearances overall last season…He has held the opposition to four hits or fewer in 39 of his 53 career games.
MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today continue their opening series with the second of four games against the New York Mets. Miami will wrap up the opening homestand with a three-game set against the Twins, their first of 15 Interleague series in 2023. The club’s first road trip includes a three-game series against the Mets that starts on April 6, with a built-in off day on April 7, before heading to play the reigning National League-champion Phillies from April 10-12.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami dropped their season opener yesterday to the Mets, 5-3. RHP Sandy Alcantara made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits with 4 walks and 2 strikeouts over 5.2 innings. The Marlins tied the game at 3 in the 6th inning after a pair of doubles by C Jacob Stallings and 2B Luis Arraez capped by a 2-run homer by 1B Garrett Cooper. LHP Tanner Scott entered in the 7th, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and was charged with the loss. RHP Huascar Brazoban tossed 2.0 scoreless innings, with 3 hits and 3 strikeouts, to close the night.
OPENING DAY BLUES
The Marlins have gone 1-9 in Opening Day home games at LoanDepot Park. Have lost seven consecutive home openers dating back to their last Opening Day win at home in 2014 vs. Colorado.
OPENING DAY FIRST
INF Garrett Cooper hit his first career Opening Day home run yesterday in his fifth Opening Day appearance. Yesterday’s 2-run shot was Cooper’s 40th career HR, eight of those against the Mets. Has four career home runs against the Braves.
CY YOUNG SANDY
The 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner RHP Sandy Alcantara toed the rubber yesterday for Miami in his fourth consecutive Opening Day start. He became the first pitcher in Marlins history to make four consecutive Opening Day starts. Surpassed the previous mark of three, which he shared with Josh Beckett (2003-05) and Josh Johnson (2010-12). Alcantara was also one of three pitchers in the Majors to make a fourth consecutive Opening Day start with the same team, joining Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola (sixth) and Cleveland’s Shane Bieber (fourth).
• In 2022, Alcantara became the first pitcher in franchise history to win the National League Cy Young Award. He was unanimously selected the winner after leading MLB with 228.2 innings pitched and 6 complete games. Ranked fifth in ERA (2.28); among NL pitchers, ranked second in ERA, fourth in strikeouts (207), and sixth in WHIP (0.98) and opponents batting avg. (.212).
• Overall, during Sandy’s entire life (born Sept. 1995) only two pitchers have reached these marks since the 1996 season: Felix Hernandez, SEA (2010) and Pedro Martinez, MON (1997). Both of those pitchers won the Cy Young Awards in their league that year.
• His 14 wins were the most by a Marlins pitcher since Jose Ureña in 2017 (14 wins). Only Jose Fernandez, who won 16 games in 2016, recorded more wins since the team moved to Miami in 2012.
• Held opponents to 2 ER or less in 25 of 32 starts, tying the most such outings by a starter in club history, done by Kevin Brown in 1996 (250). Only two pitchers in MLB had more such starts, Jose Quintana (26 – PIT/STL) and Julio Urias (26 – LAD).
TEALING BACK TIME
Tonight marks the first Flashback Friday of the season as the Marlins will teal back time with throwback Florida Marlins uniforms – same as the 1993 team in the organization’s inaugural season – for Friday home games this season (excluding June 2 – Lou Gehrig Day, and September 15 – Roberto Clemente Day). The throwback uniform will consist of the teal hats, featuring a 30th anniversary logo patch on the side, and the home white jerseys and pants with teal pinstripes.
• Every Marlins home Friday game will be themed Flashback Friday and feature special appearances from former players, coaches, and other fan favorites. Additional elements on Flashback Fridays include a Marlins Museum presented by Fanatics opening April 14, and special 30th Anniversary logo baseballs during Friday home games.
• Joining the Marlins for the first Flashback Friday on March 31 are four players from the franchise’s inaugural Opening Day roster in 1993: Alex Arias, Luis Aquino, Jeff Conine, and Orestes Destrade.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Marlins roster is re-shaped from last season, featuring six players who did not appear in with the organization last year.
• Offensively, Miami acquired infielder Luis Arraez from Minnesota. The reigning American League batting champion posted a .316 avg. (173×547) in 2022 and owns a .314 avg. in four career Major League seasons. The club also signed free-agent infielder Jean Segura to a two-year deal with a club option for a third year. Segura, a two-time All-Star and the 2016 NL hits leader, has averaged 6.7 AB/SO during his 11-year professional career, the third-best mark since 2012 among players with at least 1,300 games played. The newest addition to the Marlins lineup is two-time World Series champion and 2021 AL Batting Champion Yuli Gurriel, who hit 40 doubles last season for the World Series champion Houston Astros.
• Miami bolstered the starting rotation with the signing of free-agent pitcher Johnny Cueto. The 15-year veteran is a 2015 World Series champion and two-time All-Star, owning a career 143-107 record and 3.44 ERA in 355 appearances (353 starts). To add to the back end, the Marlins acquired right-handed reliever Matt Barnes from Boston, who posted a 1.59 ERA (22.2 IP/4 ER) with six saves in his final 24 appearances of 2022. Additionally, Miami acquired former first-round selection A.J. Puk from Oakland. The southpaw led the Athletics bullpen with 76 strikeouts last year in his first full season in the big leagues.
ACCOLADES
The Marlins’ Opening Day active roster features 13 All-Star appearances (10 players), four World Series Champions, two Batting Champions, one Stolen Base Champion, and one Cy Young Award winner.
500 CLUB
SS Joey Wendle currently sits at 490 career hits. Teammate Jean Segura owns 492 career RBI. •1B Yuli Gurriel begins the season with 94 career home runs, just six shy of the century mark.
NEW SKIP IN TOWN
Miami heads into the 2023 season with Skip Schumaker at the helm for his first managerial position after serving as St. Louis’s Bench Coach last season. Schumaker concluded his 11-year Major League career in 2015, appearing in a total of 1,149 games with the Cardinals (2005-12), Los Angeles Dodgers (2013), and Cincinnati Reds (2014-15). He is a two-time World Series champion (2006, 2011) as a member of the Cardinals.
THE CAPTAIN’S CREW
The Marlins feature a plethora of new faces on the bench under Manager Skip Schumaker, including three returning coaches in Bullpen Coach Wellington Cepeda, Bullpen Coordinator Rob Flippo, and Pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. To round out the group, Miami added Rod Barajas (Field Coordinator), Griffin Benedict (Quality Control Coach), Brant Brown (Hitting Coach), Jason Hart (Assistant Hitting Coach), Jon Jay (First Base/Outfield Coach), John Mabry (Assistant Hitting Coach), Jody Reed (Third Base/Infield Coach), and Luis Urueta (Bench Coach) to the field staff.
TODAY’S STARTER – #44 JESUS LUZARDO
• Jesus Luzardo, 26, made 18 starts to match his career-high. Missed 71 games from May 10 to August 1 with a left forearm strain.
• In six starts prior to his injury, went 2-3 with a 4.03 ERA, allowing 13 runs in 29.0 innings.
• In 12 starts after returning on Aug. 1, went 2-4 with a 3.03 ERA, allowing 24 runs in 71.1 innings. Pitched 6.0+ innings in nine of 12 outings. Allowed two runs or less in nine of those outings.
• Allowed 2 runs or less in 13 of 18 starts in 2022, and 1 run or less in 7 of those.
• Opposing batters hit 1×36 (2B) in 0-2 counts vs. Luzardo in 2022. Struck out 21 of 36 batters (58%) in that situation.
• On Tuesday, April 12, 2022 he set a career high with 12 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings of work at Angel Stadium in his first start of the season. Became the first pitcher in franchise history to strike out 12 batters in a start that lasted no more than 5.0 innings.
• In his final four starts of 2022 (Sept. 16 – Oct. 3), posted a 1.85 ERA (24.2 IP/5 ER) with 45 strikeouts, including 6.0 scoreless innings and a career-high matching 12 K’s in his last outing against Atlanta.
• Went 2-2 with a 2.64 ERA (58.0 IP/17 ER) in 10 away starts in 2022 with 71 strikeouts vs. 1-5 with a 4.25 ERA (42.1 IP/20 ER) with 49 strikeouts in 8 starts at home.
• Pitched at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, located in Parkland, Fla., approx. a half hour north of LoanDepot Park. Hernandez had a streak of 16 straight such starts in 2014.
• Became a Florida Special Olympics ambassador in 2022 by promoting and supporting all champions at the Miami Race for Inclusion at Bayfront Park.
