Braves @ Mets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Braves (0-0)

@ New York Mets (0-0)

Starting Pitchers:

Soroka (ATL): 0-0; 0.00 ERA

deGrom (NYM) 0-0; 0.00 ERA

Current odds:

Atlanta Braves: (+120)

New York Mets: (-140)

• Jacob deGrom has won the past two National League Cy Young awards, and the New York Mets turn to their ace as they host the Atlanta Braves in Friday’s long-delayed season opener. The right-hander put a scare into the Mets when he experienced back tightness last week, but after a precautionary MRI and an issue-free, 60-pitch simulated game Sunday, deGrom will make his second consecutive Opening Day start. The Mets need deGrom to be at his best from the beginning of this 60-game season, considering fellow ace Noah Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery in March and starter Marcus Stroman landed on the injured list Wednesday with a torn muscle in his left calf.

• The Braves begin their quest for a third consecutive NL East title with 20 games in 20 days, and perhaps nobody on Atlanta’s roster is happier to be back than Freddie Freeman. The All-Star first baseman tested positive for the coronavirus as summer camp began, missing more than two weeks of action before being cleared July 17. Freeman, who hit .295 with 38 homers and 121 RBIs a season ago, played in three intrasquad games and two exhibition contests against Miami with no health issues.

• Soroka made the All-Star team in his first full season, finishing runner-up to Mets first baseman Pete Alonso for Rookie of the Year and sixth in Cy Young voting. The 22-year-old led the NL in homers allowed per nine innings (0.721) and ranked third in ERA, giving up two earned runs or fewer in 17 starts of at least five innings. Soroka, who beat the Mets at Citi Field in his major league debut on May 1, 2018, is 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in five career starts against New York.

• DeGrom only made two starts before the global pandemic shut down spring training, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. The 32-year-old finished second in the NL in ERA and WHIP (0.97), and third in innings pitched (204) a season ago, averaging 11.25 strikeouts per nine innings. DeGrom went 1-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in four starts against Atlanta last season, and in 21 career starts against the Braves is 7-7 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.99 WHIP.

• Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes, who has not played in the majors since July 20, 2018 due to injuries to his feet and legs, is expected to be the designated hitter Friday.

• Atlanta signed free agent 1B Matt Adams, who hit 19 homers with an .858 OPS in 100 games with the Braves in 2017, on Monday to help fill the DH role.

• Alonso led the majors in 2019 with a rookie-record 53 homers and finished third in the NL with 120 RBIs.