Mets did something on Opening Day against Paul Skenes that they didn't do once last season

The New York Mets underwent some major changes over the offseason, reshuffling their roster, especially their lineup.

From last season's team, only Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, Juan Soto, and Francisco Lindor returned to the lineup. Five other spots changed, including Bo Bichette and Carson Benge getting Opening Day starts.

Against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates, this new Mets lineup dominated. As SNY Mets shared on Twitter/x from Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets lineup did something they never once did last year, and they did so against Skenes on Opening Day.

Mets do something they've never done before vs. Paul Skenes

"The Mets made the Pirates throw 192 pitches in 8 innings of work yesterday," SNY Mets posted. "That 24 pitches per inning is more than they saw across any game last season."

This statistic is a very impressive one for the Mets. While scoring runs and getting on base, like the Mets did all game long against the Pirates, is the main goal, there's another sub-goal for hitters: see as many pitches as possible.

If a hitter can have a long at-bat, not only will it tire out the pitcher within that inning, but it will likely mean that the pitcher comes out of the game sooner than they otherwise might have.

More: Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award

Against Skenes, they forced the 2025 Cy Young to throw 37 pitches on Opening Day before being pulled in the middle of the first inning.

While the run count was a reason why, his pitch count also played a factor, as the Pirates didn't want Skenes to pitch so much in one inning.

Seeing 24 pitches per inning is a great mark, and one that the Mets' lineup did not do once last season.

But the new-look lineup with Benge, Luis Robert Jr., Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco accomplished such a feat, against arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Skenes at that.

More MLB news:

• Reds’ Hunter Greene to be out until July amid brutal injury news
• Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki will return to rotation, not bullpen according Dave Roberts
• Alex Cora announces Caleb Durbin is Red Sox starting third baseman
• Joey Wentz is out for the season with a torn ACL for the Braves
• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jesus Luzardo’s $135 million extension is a steal for Phillies
• This 19-year MLB record is finally over for the Giants
• Luis Gil sent down to minor leagues in strange Yankees roster move
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career