PORT ST. LUCIE — Buck Showalter isn’t ready to divulge the identity of his Opening Day starter, but the Mets manager dropped a hint Tuesday about how his co-aces could be deployed within the context of the rotation to begin the season.
Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are the prime candidates to start the March 30 opener at Miami. Whoever isn’t selected for that spot could be bumped to No. 3 in the rotation, aligning that pitcher to start the home opener on April 6.
Showalter noted the Mets are all but guaranteed to play seven straight days to begin the season because the road venues in Miami and Milwaukee have retractable roofs. So the No. 3 starter at Miami (where a four-game series is scheduled) could return on normal rest, without concern about weather shifting the rotation, to pitch the home opener (also against the Marlins).
Last season, Showalter planned to give Jacob deGrom the Opening Day start at Washington, but the right-hander was shut down in spring training. Scherzer was nursing hamstring discomfort late in camp and needed extra rest, so Tylor Megill started the opener. Scherzer pitched the second game.
Starling Marte, who underwent core muscle surgery last offseason, hasn’t shown any signs that Opening Day might be in jeopardy for him, according to Showalter. The veteran outfielder wanted to represent the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but removed himself from consideration before rosters were set.
Team owner Steve Cohen is expected to visit camp within the next few days.
“I’m heading down to spring training this weekend,” Cohen tweeted. “Hope to see some of you there.”
The new scheduling format begins this season, with teams playing fewer games within their own divisions and facing more interleague opponents. Showalter is a fan of the new schedule.
“Do you realize we played 79 games in our division?” Showalter said. “Now that we can talk about it, that doesn’t make any sense at all.”
Showalter disagrees with the notion that more division games might be the best way to settle first place.
“We’re still playing 52 times [in the division],” he said. “You get to see the Marlins as much as you want to see them in New York.”
