PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Fans heading to Clover Park on Sunday will be treated to a historic sight: The Mets will use two pitchers with a combined five Cy Young Awards to their credit.

Due to a quirk of their pitching schedule, the Mets plan to start Jacob deGrom (two Cy Youngs) against the Cardinals and have Max Scherzer (three) follow him in relief. deGrom and Scherzer are scheduled to throw roughly three and six innings, respectively, making it possible for them to pitch the entire game.

Although Spring Training info on the subject is incomplete, no team in Major League history has thrown two multi-time Cy Young winners in the same regular-season game.

“It’ll be good for the fans,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said, quipping that he’d buy a ticket if he weren’t already going to be in the dugout. “What an afternoon. What an opportunity for a family to come in and go to the yard to watch deGrom and Scherzer throw in the same game. That may never happen again. Pretty cool opportunity for fans and us to witness that.”

The oddity came about because deGrom is on an every-five-days schedule in Spring Training, while Scherzer is on an every-six-days routine. Scherzer made his Grapefruit League debut a day before deGrom, but will eventually fall behind him in the schedule, so that he can pitch Game 2 of the season. deGrom will receive one extra day of rest before his Opening Day assignment on April 7.

Scherzer, of course, isn’t accustomed to entering games in relief -- at least not outside of October. But he seemed to take to the idea. When Hefner presented the pitching schedule to him this week, Scherzer responded: “I’m going to close [the game] down.”

Mayor announces vaccine exception

Using Citi Field as the stage for his press conference, New York City mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced an exception to the private-sector mandate that would have prevented unvaccinated Mets and Yankees from playing home games in the five boroughs. Effective immediately, unvaccinated professional athletes and performers -- including Nets star Kyrie Irving, who has been unable to play in Brooklyn this season -- will be allowed to participate.

“I’m excited for all the fans of all New York teams -- the Mets, the Yankees, the Nets,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “Obviously good for Kyrie to be able to play for his team again at home, and for all the performers, as well, to be able to come in. So I think ultimately, we’re very thankful to the mayor for his leadership.”

Calling it a “tough choice,” Adams said he approved the exception to help spur New York City’s economic growth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The private-sector mandate still applies to other industries. According to team president Sandy Alderson, who spoke at the press conference, the Mets have an organizational vaccine mandate in place for all employees other than players, who are protected under union rules.

“We’re proud to partner with the mayor and his team in their effort to reopen New York City and drive economic recovery,” Alderson said.

Stretching out

Originally scheduled to pitch in the Mets’ Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Carlos Carrasco and Chris Bassitt instead participated in an afternoon intrasquad because of the threat of rain at night. Carrasco allowed five runs over three innings, including homers by José Peroza and Tomás Nido. Bassitt enjoyed a cleaner afternoon, firing four shutout innings with five strikeouts.

“Results are good and great,” Bassitt said, “but it’s more so being prepared for Opening Day.”

Just as Bassitt chose not to dwell on his positive outing, Carrasco opted not to linger on his negative one. Manager Buck Showalter contended that most of the damage against Carrasco might have been avoided had the wind not been blowing out at Clover Park. At any rate, Carrasco -- who underwent offseason elbow surgery -- was pleased just to feel healthy in a game.

“Every pitch -- fastball, curveball, changeup, slider -- feels great,” Carrasco said. “That’s what I’m looking for. That’s what’s more important, just getting healthy.”

Bassitt and Carrasco are lined up to pitch the Mets’ third and fourth games of the season, respectively.

Out-of-the-park Mark

Mark Canha went deep for the first time as a Met in the team’s 9-3 win over the Marlins, going back-to-back with Francisco Lindor in the first inning. Canha’s shot bounced off the roof of the Jim Beam Bourbon Bar on the left-field concourse at Clover Park.