Surprising precisely no one, the Washington Nationals announced Monday that Max Scherzer would be their Opening Day starter. The expected move officially sets up a blockbuster matchup to kick off the season March 28 at Nationals Park. Jacob deGrom, the defending Cy Young Award winner, will take the mound for the New York Mets.
Scherzer, who won the Cy Young in both 2016 and 2017, finished second to deGrom in the balloting last year. In 2018, the Washington right-hander went 18-7 for the Nats, recording a 2.53 ERA. He threw 220.2 innings last season, striking out a phenomenal 300 batters.
Meanwhile, deGrom finished with a 10-9 record and a startling 1.70 ERA. Striking out 269 hitters, New York’s right-hander pitched 217.0 innings for the Mets this past summer.
