Mets Win Home Opener, Beat Marlins 9-3

The Mets snapped a three-game losing streak Friday with a 9-3 win over Miami in their home opener at Citi Field. They’ve now won four of five games against the Marlins this season — sandwiched around being swept in a three-game set in Milwaukee.

“The Brewers outplayed us, but we’ve got to turn the page,’’ Francisco Lindor said. “It’s part of being a good baseball team. Today was a good day for the New York Mets.”

Tylor Megill, filling in for the injured Justin Verlander, was excellent, tossing six scoreless innings. The Mets hardly missed Verlander, who hopes to be back from the strained muscle near his right armpit by the end of the month.

The Mets’ hitters, who had been quiet for much of the early part of the season, erupted for a season-high nine runs.

Dennis Santana gave up a three-run home run to former Yankee Garrett Cooper with two outs in the eighth to make things interesting, but Lindor and Pete Alonso homered in the bottom of the eighth to end any drama.  

WWE and UFC Agree to Massive Merger 

The parent company of the UFC mixed martial arts league will buy professional wrestling giant WWE and merge the two corporations.

“Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity,” said Vince McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment executive chairman.

According to Ultimate Fighting Championship owner Endeavor Group Holdings, the companies will combine with Endeavor maintaining 51% controlling interest and WWE shareholders keeping the remaining 49% holdings.

The professional wrestling company formerly known as the WWF was  purchased for $9.3 billion or approximately $106 per share, according to the the announcement.

Aaron Judge Starts Off New Season With Home Run!

There were familiar chants of “M-V-P!” as Aaron Judge strode toward home plate in the first inning on Opening Day, digging his right cleat across the dirt of the batter’s box as he prepared for his first official at-bat since being named the 16th captain in Yankees franchise history.

It took all of two pitches for Judge to pick up where he left off. Having eclipsed Roger Maris’ single-season American League record with 62 home runs last year, Judge belted the Majors’ first of 2023, powering a Logan Webb sinker over the center-field wall at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees cruised to a 5-0 win over the Giants.

“You really don’t hear much when you hit it and you’re running the bases,” Judge said. “But once I hit home and saw my family there, the roar of the crowd, my teammates — that’s when you soak it in a little bit.”

Judge’s drive came off the bat at an exit velocity of 109.3 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 422 feet. It also came against the Giants, one of the clubs that attempted to sign Judge this past off-season.