NY Mets – Citi Field (MLB.com)

It feels good to say that NY Mets baseball is officially back. The team opened their season against the Atlanta Braves and won two out of three games from them. It was a great start to the season, with some major highlights to discuss. Lets get to it, shall we? 

Thor reigns supreme 

Noah Syndergaard had the honor of opening the season for the NY Mets, and boy did he deliver. Thor threw six scoreless innings of five hit ball, while also striking out seven. He threw 86 pitches, which was enough to defeat the Braves 6-0. A highlight of being there was witnessing the power of his pitches. Syndergaard went from throwing 99 MPH fastballs to throwing 98 MPH cutters. If he can stay consistent then he can be a true force to be reckoned with. The hope is that the blister on his finger won’t affect his scheduled start on Sunday.

Bullpen needs some work, all hail Bartolo

On paper, the NY Mets have one of the deepest rosters in baseball. On the field, there may be some issues that need to be addressed. The bullpen blew Wednesday’s (Game 2) game in extra innings, and the Mets lost 3-1. After a wonderful performance by Jacob deGrom, the bullpen was in charge of holding a 1-1 tie. Using the entire bullpen to get the job done did not seem ideal for Terry Collins, but he had no choice. The next few days should be a major test for the bullpen. With talent in the minors raring to go, we could see a move or two down the line. 

Another note: Bartolo Colon pitched six strong innings against his former team. A video package honoring Bartolo was played before the game, and fans provided him with cheers all night. While he wasn’t with the team for long, Bartolo’s contributions as a Met will never go unnoticed by the fans or the team. 

Bruce Almighty?

When Jay Bruce came to the Mets last season, he struggled with the adjustment. Now that he was able to settle in, it was interesting to see how he would prove his critics wrong. In just three games, Bruce has started to turn around:

Game one: Bruce had one RBI while walking three different times. He only struck out once. 

Game two: Bruce hit the first 2017 home run for the Mets. He also had three hits in the game.

Game three: While he didn’t have any hits, Bruce did walk once. 

Analysis: It looks like Bruce is more patient at the plate, which is a big improvement. Since we are only three games in, we’ll have to wait and see what Bruce will do next. 

The Dark Knight Rises 

In his first start since July of last season, Matt Harvey had a phenomenal outing. He led the NY Mets to a game three win after going 6.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, walking none and striking out four. Terry Collins lifted him before he could complete the 7th, most likely to keep him fresh for his next outing. 

Harvey’s pitch velocity was around 94-95 MPH. If he continue’s to master his pitches, his velocity might increase over time. 

Other Notes

• Wilmer Flores started in game three and had a huge home run off of a lefty. Relegated to the bench, Wilmer could receive more playing time depending on how the rest of the team does. Historically, Flores can go on hot stretches to give the team a spark. I believe its time to relaunch the #FreeFlores movement. 
• Addison Reed is looking to thrive in the closer’s role until Jeurys Familia returns. 
• The Noah Syndergaard / Mr. Met feud is the best rivalry in sports today.