Mets have finished above .500 every year they beat the Nationals on Opening Day

A win for the New York Mets against the Washington Nationals on Opening Day has led to an above .500 season each time.

A win on Opening Day against the Washington Nationals typically means a lot for the New York Mets. In years past, it has led to a winning campaign.

This has about as much merit as a Groundhog seeing his shadow in early February. However, I’m never one to shy away from strange trends such as how poorly many Mets who have worn the number 44 have performed in New York.

Last year, the Mets took down Max Scherzer and the Nationals in a 2-0 victory. The start was Jacob deGrom’s first Opening Day nod of his career. Robinson Cano got things started with a home run in his first at-bat. It was all they would need.

The Mets then went on to win 86 games. It wasn’t the most spectacular season in team history, but it certainly did take the franchise in the right direction.

Back in 2015, the Mets faced the Nationals on Opening Day for the third time in team history. Again, it was a win and a season where the team finished above .500.

In this 3-1 victory, Bartolo Colon picked up the win against Scherzer. As I’m sure you recall, the Mets did more than finish above .500 this year. They went all the way to the World Series.

One year earlier, the Amazins weren’t so lucky. They dropped the opener 9-7 to the Nationals in ten innings. The matchup of Stephen Strasburg versus Dillon Gee was far less exciting on paper with Washington having an obvious advantage.

The first time the Mets faced the Nationals on Opening Day also ended with New York leaving as the winners. Back in 2006 at Shea Stadium, Tom Glavine earned a win against Livan Hernandez.

The 2006 season was another successful one in Flushing. They went further than they did in 2019, ending the year on the infamous strike three called against Carlos Beltran in Game Seven of the NLCS. Nevertheless, it was a year many diehard fans still remember for some of the many positive moments.

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The Mets were originally scheduled to open the 2020 season against the Nationals. If they had the opportunity, a win may have meant a trip to October. Instead, we’ll have to see what other blood magic they have prepared to get them into the postseason.