San Diego @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2012 ) NY Mets 3, San Diego 7

Two teams looking to show progress after up-and-down seasons meet when the New York Mets host the San Diego Padres in a three-game season-opening series starting Monday. The Mets soldier on without the top two in their 2012 starting rotation. R.A. Dickey was traded to Toronto and Johan Santana is scheduled for season-ending shoulder surgery this week. Left fielder Lucas Duda led the Mets in RBIs during the spring and will join David Wright and Ike Davis in the middle of the order.

The Padres were 49-37 in their last 86 games a year ago and hope to build on that improvement. San Diego starts that quest without talented third baseman Chase Headley, who is out a couple more weeks with a fractured left thumb. First baseman Yonder Alonso belted five homers in the spring and could be ready to make a major impact.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports San Diego, SNY (New York).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Edinson Volquez (2012: 11-11, 4.14 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jon Niese (2012: 13-9, 3.40)

Volquez gets his third opening day start after pitching 10 1/3 innings at the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic and nine with the Padres in the spring, allowing 12 runs combined. Volquez is coming off his best season since 2008, striking out 174 in 182 2/3 innings in his first campaign with San Diego. He is 0-4 lifetime against the Mets with a 6.46 ERA in 23 2/3 innings.

Niese, second on the team in wins a year ago, takes over the top spot in the rotation. The left-hander solidified that with a strong spring in which he gave up only 12 hits and three runs in 22 innings. Niese allowed three runs or fewer in his last eight starts of 2012. Left-handed hitters batted .243 with four homers versus Niese last season and righties hit 18 home runs with a .240 average. He is 1-2 with a 1.99 ERA against San Diego over 22 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mets beat the Padres in four of their seven meetings last season, including three of four at home.

2. Marlon Byrd will be New York’s starting right fielder after hitting .357 with seven RBIs in the spring.

3. San Diego C Yasmani Grandal, who batted .297 in 2012, begins a 50-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Padres 2