As spring training began, Mets fans thought they were counting down the days until the first back-to-back days of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer starts. Instead, the season will begin with second-year pitcher Tylor Megill toeing the rubber for Buck Showalter’s squad.
New York received tough news last week, when deGrom experienced shoulder tightness that will shut him down for at least a few weeks to begin the year. The two-time Cy Young winner was putting up historic numbers last season before arm injuries cut his year short in July.
Scherzer’s hamstring “hiccup” isn’t expected to be serious, but it is serious enough to keep him from pitching against his former team the Nationals on Opening Day. He could still appear later in the series.
Megill, an eighth-round pick in the 2018 MLB draft, made his big league debut for the Mets last June. He made 18 starts in 2021, allowing 45 earned runs in 89.2 innings, good for an ERA of 4.52. He struck out 99 batters while walking 27.
Mets at Nationals is scheduled for a 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch on Thursday. Patrick Corbin will start for Washington.
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