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The New York Mets are notoriously fast starters. Sporting the best Opening Day record in Major League Baseball, the team typically finds success in April, and they enter the month with a mountain of expectations. Mets owner Steve Cohen has gone on a massive spending spree early in his tenure as majority owner of the team.
In this offseason alone, the Mets have completely retooled their roster, spending $258 million on free agents including Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar and Starling Marte, with Cohen having new General Manager Billy Eppler throw caution to the wind, and plow through seemingly every luxury tax threshold.
It appears they will need every ounce of the firepower they acquired if they want to triumph as National League East champions over defending World Series Champion Atlanta Braves and an equally retooled Philadelphia Phillies lineup.
New York Mets Roster for April | 2022 MLB Season
Although the team lost Michael Conforto, the Mets regain slugger Robinson Cano from a season-long performance enhancing drug suspension to go along with the new free agent acquisitions. There will be no shortage of power as slugger Pete Alonso hopes to show some of his 2021 Home Run Derby Championship potential and superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor hopes to return to the top of the position after a rough introduction to the team. The lineup can be expected to contain the following players for April:
- Starling Marte, CF
- Eduardo Escobar, 3B
- Francisco Lindor, SS
- Pete Alonso, 1B
- Dominic Smith, LF
- Robinson Cano, DH
- Mark Canha, RF
- Jeff McNeil, 2B
- Tomas Nido, C
New York Mets projected rotation | 2022 MLB Season
With Jacob deGrom sidelined for likely the entire month with a shoulder injury, Buck Showalter will take the "next man up" approach and hope that the depth of the Mets starting rotation will prove to be a strength for the team. Max Scherzer will fill in admirably at the top of the rotation with Tylor Megill serving as the Opening Day starter. Here is the current Mets pitching rotation:
- Max Scherzer
- Chris Bassitt
- Taijuan Walker
- Carlos Carrasco
- Tylor Megill
Key dates for the New York Mets
The most important dates on the schedule for the New York Mets will be the first seven games against the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies. If the Mets can get off to a hot start they can establish a strong presence atop the National League East. It will be tough, however, with the Philadelphia Phillies adding Kyle Schwaber, who mauled New York Mets pitching last year and will be batting behind 2021 National League MVP Bryce Harper.
New York Mets TV Schedule & Dates for April
While half of the Mets schedule faces rosters that have playoff expectations, the other half are expected to be rebuilding ballclubs. The Mets simply need to play winning or .500 baseball until the return of Jacob deGrom. Once the ace is back in the fold, expect Buck Showalter's squad to cash in its chips and go on a playoff run.
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