The dream New York Mets Opening Day starting lineup and pitcher

There isn’t much wiggle room for the New York Mets Opening Day roster or even the lineup. Expected to face righty Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins to begin the season, the Mets will be in for a fight right from the beginning.

Plenty of wrenches can get thrown even into the best plans between now and the start of the year. The Mets are built best to withstand injuries.

This isn’t the lineup I expect to see the Mets start the year with. One can hope, though. It’s the most exciting one they can offer.

1) Batting first for the Mets and playing CF Brandon Nimmo

There’s no question who bats leadoff for the Mets on Opening Day. Center fielder Brandon Nimmo plugs back into the spot he has owned for several seasons now. Contractually obligated to make a lot of money and deliver for the Mets over the next eight seasons, there is no better way to kick things off.

2) Batting second for the Mets and playing RF Starling Marte

Starling Marte bats second. There is little debate about this. The Mets are a team with multiple players who could hit first or second in most lineups. Two guys hitting in the middle of their order are actually more ideal for the top. Nevertheless, it worked out well last season. Let’s see Marte put together another All-Star campaign and take advantage of those bigger bases and steal a few more.

3) Batting third for the Mets and playing SS Francisco Lindor

Boring! Yes, this is probably what the Mets will do. Nimmo, Marte, and Francisco Lindor third. Why mix things up when it’s so dream-like? In the future, it’s not impossible for us to see Lindor actually bat second more regularly. The team’s lack of power has him in the number three slot. Hey, it’s cool. He can drive in runs.

4) Batting fourth for the Mets and playing 1B Pete Alonso

I swear this isn’t a lineup projection! We’re going to have some fun later on. Pete Alonso is a top three power hitter in baseball. Only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber might have a better shot at going yard to save someone’s life. The clean-up hitter for the Mets is exactly who it should be in this dream Opening Day lineup.

5) Batting fifth for the Mets and playing 2B Jeff McNeil

Sigh. There really isn’t a perfect place to put Jeff McNeil, is there? Number two works well but it also doesn’t. Having two lefties in a row creates some havoc. On days when Nimmo sits, we should see the reigning NL batting champion higher. He’s not a horrible fit for number five. When Alonso settles with a sacrifice fly to move runners to third and second, McNeil can knock a single to drive them both in.

6) Batting sixth for the Mets as the DH Francisco Alvarez

Did you snap awake? I had the same experience watching the movie Drive with Ryan Gosling. Everyone said it was amazing. It wasn’t. I fell asleep. Then I finally woke up around the 45-minute mark when the guns started-a-blazin’. Francisco Alvarez isn’t going to be in the Mets Opening Day lineup in any way possible. I’m sure of it. In this fantasy, he’s the DH. I haven’t worked out the kinks as to how he can actually fit on the roster without an injury. Let’s have it that the Mets begin the year with a five-man bench for no reason other than to make our dreams come true.