Tom Brennan - 2026 METS OPENING DAY!

Mack & the rest of Mack’s Mets writers are OPENING DAY EXCITED!

Lots of new faces, including Freddy Peralta, who is the Mets new SP-1.

- Freddy, a happy warrior, is 13-5 in March/April career starts - sweet!

- He is 2-0, 2.25 career at Citi, allowing just 3 hits in 12 IP.

Marcus Semien, former MVP and gold glove, at second base.

- He had a very good .205 spring, with a bunch of hard outs. 9 RBI in 39 AB.

- He hit a Soto-like 45 HRs in 2021.

Bo Bichette, extremely professional - and clutch - hitter.

- MVP candidate? Perhaps.

Carson Benge?

- Possible rookie of the year, with good fielding range and a cannon.

Luis Robert, Jr.

- Enigmatic at the dish, but could have a big year.

- Great fielder and base stealer.

Soto will have the heavy weight of his transition year behind him, as he hunts for an MVP.

Alvarez at 24 may explode in 2026.

Devin Williams

 - out to prove his 2026 was a FLUKE. Strong spring.

- wants us to say, Edwin WHO?

Luke Weaver?

- Mets fans are hoping for a lock down version.

So: Peralta goes 7, Luke holds the lead in inning 8, and Williams gets save #1.

Today’s Mets lineup?

Lindor SS

Soto LF

Bichette 3B

Polanco 1B

Robert CF

Baty DH

Semien 2B

Benge RF

Alvarez C

Peralta SP

YEAH!

And…MLB.com has the Mets winning the division title. Who am I to argue.

PITTSBURGH?

Well, they have All-Universe Paul Skenes. Ouch.

After that, the Bucs were the worst 2025 run scoring team in baseball (583 runs). 

They, however, added an aging Marcell Ozuna, a good hitting Ryan O’Hearn, a legit power hitter in Brandon Lowe (31 HR in 134 games in 2025) and a competent batsman in ex-Met Jake Mangum, so their team offense potential has upticked. Maybe from #30 to #20?  Time will tell.

Major improvement is expected from Pittsburgh. I saw one site projecting them for 86 wins, a total they seemed to have not reached in decades.

Part of that is the expected arrival of baseball’s #1 prospect, 19 year old Konnor Griffin - he may well be a future superstar, but he is not here yet.

All that said, let’s win again, like the Mets have done almost every year since 1970 on opening day. 

THE MAGIC? IT IS BACK!