Exactly one week since the full regular-season slate started in earnest, we've got several home openers, which are especially exciting because all three of them should be in front of fan bases that are currently excited.
Sure, the Orioles' (4-2) and Tigers' (4-3) start are unlikely to continue, but both return home after very successful road trips. Home openers always tend to garner extra attention anyway, but perhaps those fan bases are energized by the early surprising successes of those teams.
The Mets are the other home opener and they come back to Queens after a 5-1 road trip, blazing through D.C. and Miami. It's a bit of a twist to have a day game at home following a night game on the road, but home openers always feel like they need to be day games.
There were supposed to be two more home openers, but both the Cardinals (vs. Padres) and White Sox (vs. Mariners) postponed theirs due to weather and will instead hold their openers on Friday.
Select games can be streamed regionally via fuboTV (Try for free). For more on what channel each game is on, click here.
Baseball schedule/scores for Monday, April 1 Nationals bullpen holds up, spoils Mets opener
As noted in this very space Wednesday, the Nationals' bullpen has been awful on the young season. It brought an 11.02 ERA and 2.33 WHIP to Citi Field for the Mets home opener. Even in the two Nats' wins, the bullpen blew a lead and the Nats were forced to responsd on offense.
That wouldn't be necessary in this one. Mets starter Noah Syndergaard pitched very well in this one, allowing just two runs on one hit (not a typo!) while striking out six in six innings. He, however, got the 2018 Jacob deGrom treatment when it came to run support. The two runs were certainly his fault (walk, walk, wild pitch leading to a bunt to score a run and later a solo homer), but the damage was limited and he probably deserved a win.
The Nats got what you'd expect from a healthy Stephen Strasburg. He worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out nine and walking just one. He only allowed three hits and they were all singles. He was in complete control. Handing the ball over to that bullpen was likely a scary moment, but it did the job in this one. Matt Grace, Justin Miller, Tony Sipp and Sean Doolittle combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out five.
Now, after the low point earlier this week in watching Bryce Harper go upper tank with the Bat Flip Heard 'Round The World and sitting 1-3, the Nationals have battled back to 3-3. And there are 156 games remaining. Anyone mention yet that it's a long season and we shouldn't overreact?
On the Mets' end, they just got beat by a very talented pitcher with a good team behind him (and, again, let's note them playing a day game after a road night game and flight from Miami). After going 5-1 on the road, surely they would have loved to give their home fans a win in their opener, but they are still 5-2 and that's great.
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