Being a New York Mets fan is not an easy thing to do. Despite rooting for a team in the biggest media market in the United States, you are seemingly destined to feel pain and disappointment every season while rooting for an MLB team that plays in the shadow of the New York Yankees.
Most of the time, a Mets season ends in disappointment. But many times, that disappointment creeps in early, letting Mets fans know that this time will not be any different than the bummers that came before it.
That appeared to be the case this season as Mets fans found out on the same day that star pitcher Jacob deGrom will not throw for four weeks while recovering from shoulder issues and that other star pitcher Max Scherzer is dealing with a hamstring injury. It was exactly the kind of one-two punch that Mets fans are simultaneously terrified of and used to.
Considering this is already a season that has featured star player Pete Alonso getting in a car crash, there’s been quite enough news to startle Mets fans for one year.
However, we’re barely getting started on the 2022 MLB season and the Mets have one more piece of fun information to share with their fans. The team announced Wednesday that Tylor Megill will be their Opening Day starter.
On paper, that’s not a bad statement. Megill, who went 4-6 in his first season in the big leagues last year, has a bright future and could end up being a solid pitcher for the team very soon. But given how much money the team spent on Scherzer and how much hype there is behind deGrom, it’s all a bit underwhelming and so very “Mets” for Megill to be the guy you send out to start the year.
And the Mets fans’ reactions were, well, very in line with that sentiment.
https://t.co/s1kEYDiDFj pic.twitter.com/kHu5zWuktS
— Ben Heisler (@bennyheis) April 6, 2022
https://t.co/kQPO2wJxAF pic.twitter.com/Vip2TRbeR8
— Michael Grant (@MichaelGrant_CJ) April 6, 2022
Mets Opening Day Starter Tylor Megill, just as it was planned.
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) April 6, 2022
Tylor Megill, #Mets Opening Day starter.
That'll be a great trivia question in 5-10 years.
— Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) April 6, 2022
All those that had Tylor Megill as the Mets Opening Day starter raise your hands.
Put them down liars no one saw this coming.
— Neil Greenberg (@ngreenberg) April 6, 2022
Some did hope that those dunking on the news were doing so ironically given the bigger picture, not to mention that Megill remains a hot prospect for the future of the franchise.
If you’re dunking on Tylor Megill being the Mets’ Opening Day starter while knowing that Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are starting games 2 and 3, you need a new shtick
— Danny Abriano (@DannyAbriano) April 6, 2022
Hell yeah man what an opportunity for this guy. Stop with the jokes we Stan. https://t.co/ljAt1hkJtF
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) April 6, 2022
One person we know is very excited about the news is older brother Trevor.
It wouldn’t be a real Mets season if something like this didn’t happen. Now it truly feels as though baseball is back.