Mets announce Opening Day lineup

The Mets have released their lineup for this afternoon’s home opener against the Braves at Citi Field. It is as follows:

1. Brandon Nimmo - CF
2. Jeff McNeil - 3B
3. Pete Alonso - 1B
4. Michael Conforto - RF
5. Yoenis Cespedes - DH
6. Robinson Cano - 2B
7. J.D. Davis - LF
8. Wilson Ramos - C
9. Amed Rosario - SS

Jacob deGrom - RHP

As expected, Yoenis Cespedes is playing the role of DH, with J.D. Davis and Michael Conforto manning the outfield corners. Despite batting third in exhibition play during summer camp, Robinson Cano slots further down in the lineup for Opening Day in the six hole between the righties Cespedes and Davis. With Cano manning second base, Jeff McNeil shifts over to third base and bats second. There had been some talk of McNeil batting leadoff, but Luis Rojas has chosen to go with on-base machine Brandon Nimmo in the leadoff spot. The reigning rookie home run king Pete Alonso will bat third with Conforto following batting cleanup. The bottom of the lineup is then rounded out by catcher Wilson Ramos and shortstop Amed Rosario—certainly threats with the bat in their own right with the former as a power threat and the latter as a stolen base threat.

Of course, the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom takes the mound for the Mets in their first contest of this strange 2020 season. Although the Mets have struggled to give him anything in the way of run support in the past, it’s hard to look at this lineup and not see it as one of the deeper lineups in the National League.