NEW YORK — A touching ceremony that honored the Mets’ greatest player of all time. A raucous crowd on its feet and applauding during manager and player introductions for a club that revamped its roster, significantly increased its payroll and made itself a true contender. A ferocious starting pitcher stepping on the Diamondbacks’ necks. A powerful Mets lineup refusing to lie down.
One of the most anticipated Mets home openers in franchise history lived up to the hype.
The Mets beat the Diamondbacks, 10-3, on Friday afternoon at CIti Field surrounded by a sellout crowd of 43,820. Fans roared as Francisco Lindor, Robinson Cano, Starling Marte, and Lindor again, belted home run after home run. Despite the onslaught of runs and double-digit hits, it wasn’t enough. Mets fans broke out in chants and cried out for more. The crowd remained on its feet well after the home run parade settled down.
This is, after all, a Mets team with limitless expectations.
Even without leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo and on-base chief Mark Canha, who were both placed on the COVID-19 injured list, the Mets lineup did not provide breathing room. And, despite Jacob deGrom’s shoulder injury, the Mets rotation still features the best ERA (1.32) in the major leagues. New Mets right-hander Chris Bassitt is a significant reason the rotation has managed to hold its own.
Bassitt, pitching at Citi Field for the first time in his eight-year career, allowed just two hits in six innings to the Diamondbacks to cap his second start of the year. Bassitt struck out six batters across 98 pitches, lowering his ERA to 0.75 on the young season. Mets fans sitting behind the dugout, and others scattered around Citi Field, gave Bassitt a standing ovation as he walked off the mound after the sixth.
Fans who attended pregame ceremonies and stayed for the entirety of the matchup likely had no voice by the end of it.
The Mets organization began the afternoon by honoring Tom Seaver, at last, with a 3,200-pound two-time life-size statue of the Franchise being unveiled at the front of the stadium. The ceremony was followed by player introductions for the home opener, where Max Scherzer and deGrom won for loudest ovations. Mets manager Buck Showalter was not far behind in terms of crowd noise, as the skipper has the team off to a 6-2 record to begin the year.
