Welcome to The Opener, where every weekday morning you’ll get a fresh, topical column to start your day from one of SI.com’s MLB writers.
If you wonder how the New York Mets could possibly be in first place with an MLB-high 17 players on the injured list, the answer can be found in a .191 hitter, two Ivy League math whizzes who were still in college in 2015, and the best pitcher on the planet who is learning to love baseball’s new math.
The Mets have pulled off a stunning transformation on defense. After four straight seasons wasting elite arms with a bottom five defense, the Mets are a top-four defensive team.