New-look Mets lineup embodied David Stearns' vision in dominant Opening Day performance
If Opening Day were a prophecy, instead of merely a beginning, the Mets should start planning for a late October destiny. If they can replicate for a whole season what they did Thursday afternoon -- when they were a patient, pitch-eating juggernaut that pushed reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes from the game before he could record a third out -- they can rewrite history. Suddenly, that 2025 debacle could look more like a painful-but-necessary learning experience, one that nudged David Stearns to remake his lineup into the relentless, dynamic force last year’s team never found a way to be.
Because for one sunny afternoon in Flushing, everything went perfectly for a new-look Mets lineup that included five players who did not appear for them in 2025. By taking close pitches and fouling off uncomfortable strikes, they picked apart one of the best pitchers of this generation so completely that he left the game before finishing one inning, by far the worst start of his career. “Look, that first inning was pretty impressive,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
“Not gonna lie. ” That first inning was a masterclass in all the things the Mets could not do last year – creating sparks, then igniting them into a full-fledged flame. Francisco Lindor worked a walk.
Juan Soto blooped a hit into short center, at which point Lindor hustled to third base, challenging Oneil Cruz’ s cannon in center to take an extra base. That brought up Bo Bichette , the former American League batting champion, heralded as a runners-in-scoring-position savant the Mets sorely needed. He fell into a two-strike count.
He fouled off a pitch up and in. Then he muscled a fly ball just deep enough to right field to score a run, giving the Mets a walk, a bloop, a sprint, and a chip shot. Something out of nothing.
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