NEW YORK (AP) — On the eve of opening day, Paul Skenes set forth lofty goals for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He says they want to win the NL Central or at least make the playoffs. That pursuit begins Thursday, when the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner pitches against Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and a revamped New York Mets lineup in a nationally televised opener at Citi Field. Freddy Peralta makes his Mets debut on the mound after the two-time All-Star was acquired from Milwaukee in a January trade. Even thinking about the postseason is a notable step forward for the thrifty Pirates, who finished last in the NL Central at 71-91 last season. They haven’t won a division title since 1992 or qualified for the playoffs since 2015.