Mets' home opener takeaways: Tylor Megill and 3 big home runs take down Marlins
NEW YORK — The Mets needed a little morale boost after their first road trip of the season ended with a sweep at the hands of the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Citi Field provided that refuge on Friday afternoon.
After a much-needed rest on Thursday, the Mets used the slow burn approach to get out to a sizable advantage, drawing 12 walks, and receiving quality start from Tylor Megill to work past the Marlins, 9-3, in front of a sold-out crowd of 43,590 at Citi Field.
Every Mets batter reached base in the victory. Starling Marte launched the first home run at Citi Field, and Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso knocked back-to-back home runs to double the Mets' lead in the bottom of the eight inning.
"Nobody was trying to be the hero," Lindor said. "(Brandon) Nimmo set the tone, taking quality pitches very close to the strike zone. He took them and that set the tone. Our whole entire lineup, we were ready to hit, but we trying to get our pitch in our zone and we did well today."
The Marlins' lone damage came after Dennis Santana issued a pair of two-out walks and a three-run home run to Garrett Cooper in the top of the eighth inning with the Mets leading 6-0.
The day also came with another level of intrigue with the pregame news that top prospect Francisco Alvarez was called up to replace the injured Omar Narvaez.
Starling Marte clobbers first home run at Citi Field in 2023
Despite scoring three runs in the opening four innings, the Mets offense had not packed much of a punch for the first half of their home opener against the Marlins.
Through the first three innings, the Mets scored twice as they racked up seven walks against Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera. Mark Canha drew a bases-loaded walk that led to Cabrera's early exit after five outs. Daniel Vogelbach plated a run on an infield single, aided by some miscommunication on the right side of the diamond, in the next at-bat.
Alonso added an RBI single through the left side in the fourth to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.
Starling Marte provided a jolt in the bottom of the sixth as he belted a hanging knuckle curve from Matt Barnes over the left-center field wall. It was Marte's first home run of the season as he provided the Mets with a 4-0 lead.
Alonso and Lindor followed suit in the eighth inning of Daniel Castano. Alonso is tied for the MLB lead with four home runs and has drove in a team-high eight runs.
"Anything I can do to help the team win," Alonso said. "I’m really happy with how we commanded the zone today. Just really, really special. One through nine, everyone contributed, whether it be walk, clutch at-bat, driving in the run. Our situational hitting was really good today."
Brandon Nimmo walked four times for the first time in his career, running his MLB lead to 10 free passes.
Tylor Megill hit by line drive
Megill lingered on the infield grass for a few seconds as the air was momentarily let out at Citi Field.
The Mets starting pitcher had been thorough in 3⅔ innings against the Marlins until he took a 107.9 mph comebacker from Jean Segura off his right foot. Fortunately for the Mets, Megill, who is filling in while Justin Verlander recovers from a right shoulder strain, was able to stay in the game.
"It’s fine," Megill said. "I think it hit me in the best spot possible, so it’s good."
The 27-year-old right-hander did not allow a hit from there. He retired the last batter of the inning on a pop-up into foul territory along the third-base line and erased a walk with a double play in the fifth inning. He closed with four straight outs and an inning-ending strikeout of Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the sixth inning.
Megill leaned on his fastball more in his second straight appearance against the Marlins and finished with six scoreless innings and three strikeouts with three hits and two walks allowed. In the process, Megill, who allowed two earned runs on six hits and two walks in his season debut, lowered his ERA to 1.64.
"Last outing, I definitely didn’t have the fastball command. I had good off-speed command," Megill said. "Today, it seemed like I had command of a lot of my stuff. Being able to get ahead early and induce contact. That was kind of the plan today is get ahead with the fastball, throw it in the zone and let them hit it and watch our defense work."
Justin Verlander remains optimistic
Verlander could not be on the mound for the Mets' home opener as originally intended as he works through a low-grade teres major strain, but the Mets' ace said an April return is "very reasonable."
Verlander has continued to throw after feeling discomfort during a bullpen session on March 29 and diagnosed with the injury ahead of Opening Day in Miami one day later.
Another MRI on Thursday revealed reduced inflammation, and Verlander said he has increased his throwing intensity to 75 percent, and is throwing nearly every day.
"The consensus was it’s like right there," Verlander said. "You're almost there, and match that up with the symptoms that you're feeling, which are very mild, but I do still feel a teeny bit of something, so I’m being prudent on the front end, really just waiting for this thing to be 100 percent right."
Murphy family honors father's legacy with ceremonial first pitch
For more than 50 years, including their inaugural season in 1962, Bob Murphy was the voice of the Mets on radio and television.
During the Mets' home opener, Murphy, who died in 2004, received the highest honor -- a mark in the Citi Field rafters alongside fellow broadcaster Ralph Kiner.
Murphy's children, Brian, Kasey and Kelly, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Mets alumni Mookie Wilson, Tim Teufel and Turk Wendell.
"He would have been thrilled," Brian said. "From the many speeches he’s given over the years from when he retired. He said, ‘This is by far the happiest recap of all.’ I’m sure that line would’ve come out again."