Let’s get wild, let’s start Edwin Díaz on Opening Day. Kodai Senga of course deserves it, but this is only his second year, and there’s no chance he’s pitching deep into the first game of the year anyway. There’s not some long-tenured Ace cemented in that role, so why not pump up the fans and start the season with some fanfare?
There’s no reason we can’t cheer just as loud in the second inning for Kodai Senga. There’s no reason you can’t refer to him as the “starting” pitcher after the Opener. There’s no reason you can’t announce Díaz as the Opener and Senga as the Starter in the pre-game lineups and graphics. HYPE IT UP.
Díaz and his trumpets, entrance music and dominating performance might have been the highlight of 2022, and it was sorely missed in 2023. So why not remind us all and get that Timmy Trumpet blaring to start the year–nothing else would get the blood pumping as much as that. Getting an inning of Díaz regardless of the score is good strategy anyway, there’s a day off after that so it’s not like you’re worried about wearing him out early, he hasn’t pitched since late 2022 so why wait to get his return started?
There’s a reasonable chance the Mets bullpen, as a unit, might be pretty good this year, perhaps even the best part of the team. So highlighting that strength to start the year is only fitting. Come out throwing gas.
This also potentially sets up something that so rarely happens–The first and last pitch of the season could be thrown by the same player.
