Juan Soto produced Washington's lone run with his 99th career homer.
WASHINGTON — For each of the last three seasons, the New York Mets sent Jacob deGrom to the mound on opening day and saw him bowl at least five scoreless innings.
This time, an injured degrom was not available, so fill-in Tyler Magill took the ball from new Mets manager Buck Showalter and had a fitting effect on what the two-time Cy Young Award winner usually does in Game 1.
Magill, the only 6-foot-7 right-hander in the Majors since last June, made five shutout innings in a 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals, making the Mets the first team in major league history to receive a scoreless outing. Of. Beginning on Opening Day for four consecutive seasons.
“He was awesome. He was electric,” said New York first baseman Pete Alonso, whose eventful evening included having a bloody lip when he hit a pitch in the ninth and the ball went through the flap of his chin and into his mouth. "He had a lot of chivalry, a lot of moxie."
Mark Canha and Starling Marte — two products of the Mets' quarter-billion dollar offseason spending spree — went into the run, as did Francisco Lindor, who hit only .230 with 63 RBI in 2021, his first season in New York. .
Magill (1–0) entered the day with the shortest time in the Mets opening day majors of any starting pitcher in club history, but drew the assignment as DeGrom was on the injured list for the season with a shoulder blade problem. is starting.
"I was excited, for sure, but for the most part, I felt very relaxed," said Megil, who said he'd like to receive his No. 38 game jersey as a gift starting Thursday.
He allowed three hits, did not run any and dismissed eight batsmen.
National starter Patrick Corbin (0-1), on the mound as 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasberg returns from surgery, conceded two runs in four-plus innings.
The highlight of Megil's night? It came with a run in the third inning with runners on the corners and Washington overtaking Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz. Megil knocked out Soto by swinging the fastball at 98 mph, then cruised off the field at a 2-0 change.
Here's how Megill describes his strategy there: "Feed the strike zones. In a way, let them freak themselves out."
Soto produced Washington's run with his 99th career homer, a second deck shot from Trevor May in the sixth.
"Nothing surprises me when it comes to his hitting," said national manager Dave Martinez.
Soto is one of the lone survivors of Washington's title team three years ago. General Manager Mike Rizzo tore the roster last July at the trade deadline in the middle of a second straight final of an NL East finish.
Sometimes "Let's go mates!" Chanting from the declared crowd at 35,052 with temperatures around 50 degrees.
Alonso's Night
Alonso was hit by a pitch from reliever Mason Thompson in the ninth and immediately reached for his mouth, but said afterward: "All right. Just a cracked lip. That's it. Got all my teeth. No movement." "
Showalter added: "He's going, someone said, to have some sexy lips for a few days. ... I'm not happy with that."
Showalter said there was some emotion in the dugout after Alonso hit the ball; James McCann was struck twice before - once with loaded bases by Corbin and once by Andres Machado.
"I'm not going into intent," Showalter said.
Alonso also got two hits and in the fourth, Eduardo Escobar's double was thrown out of the house while trying to score from first base. Alonso immediately put his hands to his ears to indicate that he wanted an answer challenge. Showalter made a request but was defeated, a decision announced by the umpire to the crowd as part of a new policy this season.
This and that
Showalter is with his fifth major league team as a captain, which includes the Yankees from 1992–95 and, most recently, the Orioles from 2010–18. ... the Mets are a major league-best 40-21, despite losing their first eight openers. ... DH Nelson Cruz scored 0 for 4 in his national debut.
Instructor room
Mets: Off Brandon Nimmo (stiff neck) sat outside.
Nationals: Strasbourg was placed on a 10-day IL as he continues his return from thoracic outlet surgery. ... RHP Will Harris, who had surgery to clear scar tissue in his right pectoral muscle last week, went on a 60-day IL. ...INF Ehire Adrianza (left calf tense) moved on to 10-day IL.
Next
Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will make his first Mets appearance on Friday — and it will be his return to National Park after pitching for Washington for a 6 1/2 season. Washington started Josiah Gray, who acquired Scherzer last July in a trade sent to the Dodgers.