If David Robertson knows anything about the Mets' long-term plans at closer, he didn't provide any hints Thursday.

Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to cap their victory against the Marlins, with his appearance perhaps the first sign of Buck Showalter's bullpen approach following Edwin Diaz's injury in the World Baseball Classic.

"When the phone rings, it could be me," Robertson told reporters, according to SNY. "Late-inning, high-leverage, I expect it could be me. So I'm always stretched out and ready to go in those outings."

One of the Mets' co-aces still doesn't prefer the pitch clock after experiencing it in a regular-season game.

Following his first start of the 2023 campaign, where he allowed three runs across six innings and struck out six batters, Scherzer said that "I love the pace. I don't like the clock."

I'll double-down on that," Scherzer said. "I think the umpires should have discretion and turn the clock off. "

MIAMI – A battle of Cy Young award winners on Opening Day turned into a bullpen shootout the Mets were better equipped to win.

Neither Max Scherzer nor Sandy Alcantara was his sharpest Thursday, but the difference was the Mets had Drew Smith, Brooks Raley and David Robertson behind him and the Marlins did not.

In the first test for an Edwin Diaz-less bullpen, the Mets received three scoreless innings from their relievers in a 5-3 victory over the Marlins before 31,397 at loanDepot park.

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David Robertson threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season, and the Mets improved to 41-21 on Opening Day with their 5-3 victory against the Marlins.

Max Scherzer threw five innings of one-hit pitching before blowing a three-run lead in the sixth. Brandon Nimmo regained that lead with a two-run double during the Mets' next set of at-bats. The bullpen passed its first test, retiring the final nine Miami hitters.

The Mets and Marlins meet again Friday at loanDepot park, with David Peterson starting against Jesus Luzardo at 6:40 p.m.

The most pressing question for the Mets after spring training might've been about their closer, with Edwin Diaz likely lost for the season — or at least most of it.

For Opening Day, Buck Showalter turned to former Yankees reliever David Robertson to protect a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning.

As the Mets deal with bullpen uncertainty following Edwin Diaz's World Baseball Classic injury, they had another chance to add to their lead in the ninth inning.

Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor both singled, but Pete Alonso struck out swinging on a 95 mph fastball from Huascar Brazobán.

Buck Showalter turned to Brooks Raley, who pitched with the Rays in 2022, as his set-up man Thursday, and Raley produced a 1-2-3 inning in his Mets debut.

Raley dealt with a hamstring injury during spring training — which prompted him to leave the World Baseball Classic early — but he struck out two Miami batters and threw nine of his 12 pitches for strikes.

What turned into another Mets scoring threat started with a bunt single down the third-base line.

Then, Jeff McNeil advanced to second when Mark Canha was hit by a pinch. He took third on a wild pitch. But Eduardo Escobar grounded out to end the eighth inning.

The first Mets reliever for the 2023 season: Drew Smith.

He allowed a leadoff double, but Smith stranded that runner and kept the Mets' 5-3 lead intact.

Scherzer finished with six innings pitched, four hits, three runs, two walks and six strikeouts, while throwing 91 pitches.

This situation — and this result — was the one Steve Cohen and the Mets paid Brandon Nimmo for. Specifically, a payment of eight years worth $162 million.

With one out in the seventh, Nimmo lined a double that bounced to the center-field wall, scoring a pair of runs and giving the Mets a 5-3 lead.

Max Scherzer's one-hit gem through five innings turned disastrous when the Marlins cycled through their batting order for the third time.

Luis Arráez doubled and Garrett Cooper later followed with a two-run homer in the sixth, erasing the Mets' three-run lead and tying the game. The pair of hits came on 93 and 92 mph fastballs, respectively.

Jacob Stallings' leadoff double earlier in the frame marked the first time that the Marlins had a runner in scoring position against Scherzer. They made that opportunity count.

Before he singled, Jeff McNeil had a strike added to his count when Pete Alonso took too long getting back to first base following a foul ball.

McNeil seemed confused at the plate. Buck Showalter emerged from the dugout to converse with an umpire. But McNeil still concluded the at-bat with his first RBI of the season.