Mets plan to name Max Scherzer Opening Day starter; Justin Verlander to start home opener

The Mets announced earlier this spring that they intended to split up Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer in the rotation, in part so one could start Opening Day and the other the home opener. Well, Mets fans will be greeting to Verlander at the home opener on April 6th and Scherzer on March 30th in Miami, per Mike Puma.

Scherzer, who started the second game of 2022 behind [checks notes] Tylor Megill, will make his first Opening Day start as a Met. Verlander starting the home opener allows fans in Queens to see the Mets’ biggest free agent signing at the first available game.

Scherzer will likely face Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins, with Verlander likely lining up with Johnny Cueto on the eighth game of the season, and the fifth against Miami in the first 8 days of the season.

The Mets’ bottom half of the rotation is less set, with José Quintana’s rib injury and Kodai Senga’s balky finger.