Max Scherzer's Mets debut expected to take place on familiar turf

Barring some kind of cataclysm, the first game for Max Scherzer in a New York Mets uniform will take place on some familiar stomping grounds. The Mets are now set to open the season on April 7th at Washington against Scherzer’s former team, the Nationals.

We all expect Jacob deGrom to get the ball on the mound for game number one—as he should. In game two, it will be Scherzer’s time to shine.

Could the script be any better? Scherzer is heading back to D.C. in his Mets debut.

Reminder: The Nationals are paying Mets pitcher Max Scherzer to beat them this year

As a friendly reminder to fans of both teams, Scherzer has two paychecks coming his way this season. One will be from the Mets. The other has a curly W on it.

Scherzer went the Bobby Bonilla route with the massive contract he signed with Washington. He’s still getting paid by them with a total of $15 million heading to his bank account each year he could spend with the Mets. Assuming Scherzer makes 30 starts, that’s $500,000 per appearance. Even David Hasselhoff in his prime wouldn’t charge this much; my calculations adjusted for inflation.

Before the lockout caused the first week’s games to get rescheduled, Scherzer was already destined to pitch his first game for the Mets against the Nationals. However, that was going to take place in front of baseball-starved and eager Mets fans in New York. Instead, those same people who bleed blue and orange will need to pay about $100 to fill up their gas tank and drive down to D.C. if they want to see Scherzer’s first ever Mets game live.

For those with a bad credit score and unable to get a good loan to fill up their tank, you may have to wait a while until Scherzer pitches at Citi Field. His second start is lined up to take place in Philadelphia on April 13. Depending on whether they skip someone or not in the rotation will determine when he makes his Citi Field debut. Either way, it should be sometime in the series versus the San Francisco Giants either on April 18 or 19.

Rest assured, if you don’t see Scherzer’s first Mets game, there will be others. Maybe if you’re lucky, you can rent out a hotel in Delaware now and stay there for a week to see him in Washington and then Philadelphia.

How does that sound for a last minute April vacation?