The Mets and Astros will face off on March 27 at 4:10 p.m. ET (3:10 CT) in Houston, with an interesting pitching matchup: Clay Holmes for the Mets and Framber Valdez for the Astros. Holmes will be making his first Opening Day start, while Valdez will take the mound for his fourth straight year.

Holmes has mostly been a reliever in his career, but he’s looking to transition back to starting, and the Mets are giving him the chance. After being a top closer for the Yankees, Holmes signed a 3-year, $38 million deal with the Mets. This spring, he’s been looking sharp, allowing just two runs in 14 innings.

On the other hand, Valdez has been one of the best pitchers in the AL, finishing in the Top 10 in Cy Young voting each of the last three years. He’s got a great track record with the Astros and is coming off a solid 2024 season, where he led the team in wins and innings pitched. It’ll be his fourth consecutive Opening Day start, setting a new club record for a lefty.

Both pitchers bring a lot of experience, and this matchup will be one to watch as the season kicks off!