It didn’t take long for Buck Showalter to be asked the question: who is starting for the Mets on Opening Day?
It was one of the first questions the manager was asked in his first press conference at spring training, but Showalter wasn’t taking the bait.
“We’re gonna check that out down here, it’s what we’re here for,” Showalter smiled. “Good try.”
Of course, the question surrounds whether Max Scherzer or newcomer Justin Verlander will get the ball to begin the 2023 season, just like the big question last season was whether Jacob deGrom would get the ball, or Scherzer would begin his Mets tenure on Opening Day.
Now, Scherzer has a fellow future Hall of Famer with him in the rotation in Verlander, who is an obvious candidate to take the ball when the Mets open the season. It isn’t a decision that Showalter is dreading, rather the opposite.
“You don’t think we haven’t already broached that? It’s a good problem,” Showalter said. “It’s not a problem. It’s a good challenge to have. We might surprise you.”
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