According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the New York Mets will open their 2020 season the same way they ended their 2019 campaign, against defending National League champion Atlanta Braves.
The game will take place on July 24 and will be played at Citi Field. It is the sixth time in franchise history that the Mets will face the Braves on opening day with New York City winning four of the previous five contests. The two teams last played an opening game on April 3, 2017 with the Mets, as is the custom on opening day, winning 6-0.
The full 2020 calendar will be officially announced on Monday according to USA Today.
The expectation is that the Mets will play 40 games against their divisional rivals and 20 games against the American League East, in an effort to minimize travel and the possible spread of the coronavirus.
The Braves come from a 97-win season, winning the Eastern Division of the National League for the second consecutive year. They lost in the Division Series round to the St. Louis Cardinals as another National League East Division team, the Washington Nationals, came from the wild card to win the World Series.
The Braves are also battling the coronavirus, as four team players tested positive. Manager Brian Snitker told reporters on Saturday that Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Touki Toussiant and Pete Kozma tested positive. Freeman is dealing with the worst.
“He has a fever,” Snitker said. I spoke to him this morning. It doesn’t feel good. So it will be a while before we can get it back.
Freeman, a former Met killer, has 27 home runs and 107 RBIs in ten years against the Amazons.
The Mets will seek to improve their record of 38-20 (.655) Opening Day, which is the best in the majors.
To get ready for the Opener, here is a review of some Mets Magic:
What other way for the Mets to end the season than a three-run homer in 11 by Dom Smith?
(via @SNYtv) pic.twitter.com/EevCZRONfe
– SI MLB (@si_mlb) September 29, 2019
.
.
