Max Scherzer's first regular-season start for Mets: Must-find TV?
Max Scherzer of the Mets warms up before a spring training game against the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on March 21 in Jupiter, Fla. Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Jim Rassol
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Must-see TV: Jacob deGrom will start on Sunday against St. Louis and will be followed by Max Scherzer.
Potentially must-miss TV: Scherzer’s first regular season start for the Mets.
Sunday’s game will be on WPIX. But Scherzer’s first regular season start, which is expected to come on April 8 in Washington, will not be on regular or cable TV.
According to a report in the Washington Post, that contest has been selected by the streaming service Apple TV+ as an exclusive game as part of its new contract with Major League Baseball.
Fans will have to either already have an Apple TV+ subscription or will have to download the service’s app in order to watch Scherzer’s expected first Mets start.
The April 8 game and other early-season games on Apple TV+ will be free for those who don’t already subscribe. Eventually, the service will require a paid subscription to view its “Friday Night Baseball” doubleheader games. Apple is paying MLB a reported $85 million a year over seven years for the exclusive package.
Manager Buck Showalter said he expects deGrom to go the first three innings on Sunday and Scherzer the final six. Scherzer threw five innings in his first start.
Scoreless debut for Walker
Taijuan Walker threw two scoreless innings in his first start of spring training in the Mets’ 4-2 victory over the Nationals on Saturday. Walker had been behind the other starters after Jan. 14 knee surgery.
Walker, who allowed one dubious hit, threw 20 pitches (11 strikes) and then 20 more in the bullpen. The only safety was a pop-up that fell untouched between Robinson Cano and Luis Guillorme, who both lost it in the sun.
Walker said he hopes to be ready for the regular season.
David Peterson followed Walker and allowed two runs in 3 1/3 innings. Peterson and Tylor Megill are battling for a potential fill-in starter spot that won’t be needed if Walker and Carlos Carrasco are ready to go the first turn through the rotation.
Eduardo Escobar, batting lefthanded, hit his first home run of spring training, a solo shot in the sixth. Jeff McNeil, who started in right, went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
Marte update
After first saying Starling Marte (oblique) was scheduled to make his spring training debut on Sunday, Showalter later backtracked and said it would either be game action or live batting practice and would be decided Sunday morning.
Cohen checks in
Owner Steve Cohen announced on Twitter that he was planning to attend this weekend’s games at Clover Park.
“See you there,” he posted.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
