Tuesday, April 5, 2016 • 4:15 p.m. (ET) Kauffman Stadium • Kansas City, MO
RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24) vs. RHP Chris Young (11-6, 3.06) SNY • MLBN • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM
- WORLD SERIES RE-MATCH: This is the first time in major league history that the two teams that met in the previous World Series, opened the following season against each other.
- K.C. IN QUEENS: The Mets will host the Royals for a two- game series, June 21-22.
- NOAH NOTES: Noah Syndergaard finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting in 2015…He led major league rookies with 166 strikeouts, led NL rookies and was fourth among ML rookies with a .225 batting average against and was tied for third in the majors among rookies with nine wins last year…Syndergaard also led NL rookies and was fourth among ML rookies with a 3.24 ERA…He threw 1,421 pitches at 95 mph or faster in 2015, the second-most among all major league pitchers behind Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole (1,484).
- MICHAEL CONFORTO: Reached base safely four times on Sunday…At 23 years, 33 days, he became the youngest Met to reach base safely four times on Opening Day…He was also the first Met to do so since Xavier Nady in 2006.
- JERRY BLEVINS: Retired all three batters he faced on Sunday…Opponents are 0-18 vs. Blevins during his career with the Mets…The opposition was 0-15 vs. Blevins last year before he suffered a fractured left forearm on a line drive off the bat of Miami’s Dee Gordon on April 19.
- VS. AL: This is also the first time in club history that the Mets begin the year vs. an American League club…New York went 9-11 in Interleague action last season…Since 1997, when Interleague play began, the Mets are 166-157 (.514)…The .514 winning percentage in Interleague play is the second-best all-time among NL clubs behind St. Louis (154-141, .522).
- FOUR RUNS: The Mets were 70-12 (.854) when scoring four or more runs last year…The .854 winning percentage was the best in the majors.
- INTERNATIONAL METS: The Mets have 10 foreign-born players on their 25-man roster, tied for the third-most in the majors with the Braves, Dodgers and Yankees…Only the Mariners (13) and Royals (11) have more…The Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates are tied for having the most players from one nation outside the U.S. with six Dominican players apiece.
- MINOR OPENINGS: New York’s four full season minor league teams will all begin their season on Thursday…RHP Rafael Montero will be the Opening Day starter for Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League vs. Fresno…RHP Robert Gsellman will start for Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League vs. New Hampshire…Belle Mead, NJ native RHP Josh Prevost will start for St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League vs. Jupiter and RHP Chase Ingram will be on the mound for Columbia (A) of the South Atlantic Legue at Charleston.
- HOME OPENER DETAILS: The Mets Home Opener will be Friday, April 8 at 1:10 p.m. vs. Philadelphia…The Mets are asking fans to be in their seats at 12:30 p.m. for a special pre-game ceremony that will include raising the National League Pennant banner by former NL Champions Rusty Staub (1973), John Franco (2000) and Edgardo Alfonzo (2000)…Every fan will also receive a 2016 magnetic schedule present by Hyundai
- FIRST PITCH: Members of the NYPD and FDNY, who were personnally injuried in the line of duty in 2015, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch…Four-year-old Ryan Lemm, the son of 15-year NYPD veteran Joseph Lemm, who was killed in Afghanistan last December, will present the ceremonial first pitch baseball.
- NATIONAL ANTHEM & FLYOVER: Members of the cast of the Grammy-Award winning Broadway smash hit Hamilton will perform the National Anthem during the Home Opener… Chris Jackson, who plays George Washington and Anthony Ramos, who plays Phillip Hamilton will sing the Anthem which will be followed by a special NYPD helicopter flyover.
- GOD BLESS AMERICA: NYPD Officer Makiah Brown will perform God Bless America in the middle of the seventh inning on Friday.
- SATURDAY FIREWORKS: A firework extravaganza presented by Coca-Cola will follow the Mets-Phillies 7:10 p.m. game on Saturday, April 9.
- SUNDAY: The Mets will wear replica ‘86 jerseys in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 Championship team for their 1:10 p.m. game vs. the Phillies…Every fan will receive a “Let’s Go Mets” Rally Towel…Before every Sunday home game beginning at 11:00 a.m. on the Mets Plaza, there is a full fan fest with Mets featured family-friendly activities including kids inflatables, sign-making station, face painters, balloon artists and entertainment…Postgame, kids 12 and under can come down onto the field and run the bases, weather permitting during the Mr. Met Dash.
- TAKE MASS TRANSIT: In anticipation of big crowds and enhanced security procedures, the Mets encourage fans to take mass transit and arrive early for their opening weekend Friday, April 8-Sunday, April 10 at Citi Field.
- METS-ROYALS NOTES: The Mets are 4-6 vs. the Royals during the regular season, including 1-3 at Kauffman Stadium…New York fell in five games to the Royals in the World Series, including going 0-2 in Kansas City.
