The 2012 season isn't yet in the books, but already some Mets fans are looking ahead to 2013. If you fit that description, today's release of the 2013 schedule with be worth a few minutes of your time. The full schedule is available on the Mets official website, and we'll highlight some key dates for you here.
The Mets will open their season on April 1, at home against the San Diego Padres. They'll finish the season at home as well, closing 2013 with a 4-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. It will mark the first season since 2010 in which the Mets have both opened and closed their season at home.
The Mets will play 17 interleague games next season*. Interleague opponents will include Minnesota away, the Royals at home, Cleveland away, and both the White Sox and Yankees home and away. The Mets first interlegue series will be a trip to Minnesota April 12-14, and their last series will be the Indians September 6-8. The Yankees are always a hot ticket, and they will visit Citi Field May 27 and May 28. The Mets will head across town to the Bronx on May 29 and May 30. The two New York clubs will meet only four times next season unless they meet again for a best of seven to close out 2013.
*They actually play 20, I missed the Tigers coming to town in late August when I first looked over the schedule. No DH for that one, that could be pretty fun...
The Mets will play each of their divisional opponents 19 times apiece next season. You can find the sortable Mets schedule for next season here, it will be a bit easier for you to check out our divisional foes using that. The Mets won't play the Houston Astros next season, as the Astros are moving to the AL West and will not face the Mets in interleague play.
There's one other key date on the Citi Field schedule, and that would be the 2013 All-Star game. The Mets will be hosting the Midsummer Classic on July 16.