Mets riding high into home opener against Nationals
The New York Mets know one thing heading into their second home game of the season: They'll be better-rested than they were for the first one.
The Mets will hope to yield the benefits of a much-needed day off when they host the Washington Nationals on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of a three-game series.
Steven Matz (0-0, 1.69 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Mets against the Nationals' Patrick Corbin (0-0, 3.00 ERA) in a battle of left-handers.
Both teams were off Friday after the Nationals spoiled the Mets' home opener Thursday, when winning pitcher Stephen Strasburg struck out nine over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter as Washington earned a 4-0 victory.
While both teams played Wednesday, the Nationals were already in their midtown Manhattan hotels following a wild 9-8 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies as the Mets closed out a 6-4 win in Florida over the Miami Marlins.
The Mets' exit from Miami was delayed when first baseman Dominic Smith, one of two players selected to take a random drug test after the game, needed an extra 40 minutes for all the water he drank to take effect. The team didn't return to Citi Field until after 2 a.m. ET and had to be back at the park by 10 a.m. for a 1:10 p.m. start.
Following the loss, Mets manager Mickey Callaway said he didn't think the quick turnaround was to blame for New York's performance.
"We're used to it, been doing it our whole lives, especially those of us who were in the minor leagues for a long time," Callaway said. "We have a bunch of young players who are used to it. Robinson Cano and the guys who have been around are used to it. It's something they've all dealt with. We know how to deal with it, and we just came out on the short end of the stick today."
For the Nationals, the crisp performance of the bullpen provided some literal relief after a rough opening week in which relievers posted an 11.02 ERA and gave up 10 runs in three outings against the Mets last weekend in Washington, D.C.
On Thursday, left-handers Matt Grace and Tony Sipp, each of whom still have ERAs north of 10.00, enjoyed their first clean outings of the season by recording the final outs of the seventh and eighth.
"Like I've said before, if we're going to do this, I've got to trust the bullpen to get the job done," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said afterward. "And they got it done."
Matz made his season debut on Monday night, when he didn't factor into the decision after giving up three runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings as the Mets beat the Marlins, 7-3. He is 1-5 with a 3.93 ERA in 10 career starts against the Nationals.
Corbin also faced the Mets in his debut start for the Nationals last Sunday, when he didn't factor into the decision after giving up two runs over six innings as Washington earned a 6-5 victory. The southpaw, who signed a six-year deal in December, is 1-4 with a 4.86 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) against New York.
--Field Level Media
