Mets announce rotation for start of 2018 season

The Mets have announced their starting rotation for the first five games of the 2018 season. The team will start the season with a rotation of Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Matt Harvey, and Seth Lugo.

The Mets’ starting pitching remains a key to the team’s success in 2018 following an injury-plagued 2017 season. Ace Noah Syndergaard missed most of the season following a partial right lat tear that occurred against the Washington Nationals in April. Harvey, Matz, and Wheeler each missed significant time with injuries as well, leaving deGrom to shoulder a bulk of the load. The team posted a 5.01 ERA in 2017, landing them toward the bottom of the league.

The Mets signed veteran starter Jason Vargas to a two-year deal at the start of spring training in order to shore up their rotation, but he suffered a non-displaced fracture to his glove hand during Grapefruit League action. Vargas landed on the disabled list and will miss the beginning of the season. The injury opened the door for Zack Wheeler, but he earned a demotion to Triple-A following an ineffective spring training. Seth Lugo, who posted 2.87 ERA in 15.2 innings, secured the final spot.

Noah Syndergaard will take the ball on Opening Day for the second straight season as the Mets take on the St. Louis Cardinals.