The Mets look to take their first series of the season this afternoon as they take on the Pirates! The Mets took game one of the season in pesky fashion, making the Pirates through 192 pitches. They knocked out Paul Skenes before the end of the first inning and forced the Pirates bullpen to use six pitchers to finish off the game. The day off yesterday probably means that higher leverage relievers like Dennis Santana and Gregory Soto would be available today. It was a tone setting day for the Mets and hopefully it continues today!
David Peterson, the longest tenured Met, starts his seventh season this afternoon. Peterson made 30 starts last season and pitched 168 2/3 innings (both career highs) with a 4.22 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 1.370 WHIP and a 95 ERA+. In the first half of the season he tossed 109 innings over 18 starts with a 3.06 ERA, earning an All-Star game spot. He was different pitcher in the second half with a 6.34 ERA over 12 starts (59 2/3 innings). Both of Peterson’s starts against the Pirates happened in the first half of the season. In Queens he held the Pirates to only two runs over six innings. In Pittsburgh he allowed five runs over 4 2/3 innings. The Pirates have the following career numbers against Peterson:
- Joey Bart 1-9, 4 BB, 5 K
- Oneil Cruz 1-3, HR, 2 K
- Henry Davis 0-4, K
- Nick Gonzalez 1-4, 2B, BB
- Spencer Horwitz 1-2, BB
- Ryan O’Hearn 0-1, K
- Marcell Ozuna 4-22, 2 HR, 4 BB, 7 K
- Bryan Reynolds 3-13, 2B, 3 K
- Jared Triolo 2-5, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
Today is a battle of long tenured pitchers as Mitch Keller starts his 8th season with the Pirates. Over 32 starts and 176 1/3 innings last season, Keller had a 4.19 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 4.02 FIP, and a 102 ERA+. Keller has been consistent force in the Pirates rotation over the last four seasons with four consecutive seasons with at least 31 game appearances, at least 159 innings, and an ERA+ between 98 and 106. Keller was effective against the Mets in 2025 holding the Mets to only three runs over 12 1/3 innings, scattering 10 hits. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Francisco Alvarez 2-10, 4 K
- Brett Baty 3-7, 2B, HR, BB
- Bo Bichette 0-4, BB, K
- Francisco LIndor 2-16, 5 BB, 8 K
- Jorge Polanco 1-2, BB, K
- Luis Robert Jr. 1-1, BB
- Marcus Semien 0-5, 3 K
- Juan Soto 5-12, 2B, HR, 3 BB, K
- Tyrone Taylor 0-7, 2 K
- Luis Torrens 0-3, K
- Mark Vientos 2-10, 3 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- The longest tenured Met. There is a significant chance that David Peterson becomes a top-20 Met pitcher, depending on the metric, by the end of this season. It won’t be by bWAR. Peterson has 6.8 bWAR, good for 35th and would have to reach John Franco’s 11.2 by the end of the season to get into the top 20. He’s tied with Rick Aguilera at 37 wins, which is 34th in the franchise. He would need to get 47 this season to enter the top 20. He’s made 115 starts (#22), and he needs to get to 121 to pass Gary Gentry to enter the top 20. Nothing crazy here, but still noteworthy for a pitcher who has only made 30 starts in a season once, and had two key years bounced between the rotation and the bullpen.
- Walk this way. The Mets worked nine walks in their first game of the season. This continues on the Mets propensity to draw walks from 2025 where the Mets finished with 563, good for fifth in baseball. About 20% of the walks in 2025 were from Juan Soto who didn’t walk at all on Thursday. The Mets went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position, taking advantage of the free passes.
- It’s cold. March and April baseball in Queens is not for the faint of heart. The high today is 45 and there’s a windchill that will dip below 30. It’s going to be a very different day than Opening Day which felt like a summer tease. Normally days like today favor the pitchers. The Mets bats got off to a hot start, hopefully that can warm them up today.
Let’s Go Mets!
