Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander could each get an Opening Day start

Hallelujah! Baseball season has arrived. There aren’t any games that matter in the standings, but we’re seeing blue shorts in Florida. Who knew seeing your favorite New York Mets players’ calves could be so much fun?

Buck Showalter began speaking with the media this week. One tidbit to catch my attention was pointed out by Mike Puma of the NY Post. Rather than begin the year with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in some back-to-back format, the team may split them up in the rotation.

The Mets will begin the year with seven games under a dome which means there’s no possibility for a rainout. Whoever starts on Opening Day won’t get a chance to make his Citi Field debut until his third start. The pitcher who doesn’t open the year in Miami will get the Opening Day start at Citi Field.

The Mets starting rotation to begin the season is no sure thing

We learned last year not to expect anything so sure at this point in February. Jacob deGrom landed on the IL and the nod went to Tylor Megill instead. How many years before this becomes a trivia question people begin to get stumped on?

The only preference we might want to have between these two would be for the epic Verlander vs. Sandy Alcantara matchup in Miami. The two defending Cy Young winners would face-off. The rarity of this even being possible is too much to ignore. We know Verlander is a competitor. Scherzer has seen plenty in his career. He hasn’t seen this.

If everyone is healthy, the number two starter would likely become Jose Quintana or Kodai Senga. A guess: it’s Quintana. He’s the veteran, a lefty to break up the two power righties, and it fits best with the Mets schedule. Starting Senga in the number four spot will allow him to get through a few starts at the beginning with an additional day of rest. It’s not quite what he’s used to, but it can ease him into the five-man rotation.

Verlander in Miami and Scherzer in Flushing. Each could start an Opening Day for the Mets this season. So, if you made a friendly wager with a friend, make sure you stipulate the season opener. People who lose bets love a loophole.