Gazing Arizona
Seriously? The Diamondbacks again?
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Trivia question: Travis Jankowski is wearing No. 16 this season, which of course is famously Doc Gooden’s jersey. Who was the last player to don 16 for more than one year?
Behind Enemy (Base)Lines: Arizona Diamondbacks
By Colleen Sullivan
If it seems to you like you just saw the Diamondbacks, you would be correct. Literally last weekend, the Snakes ”graced” New York with their presence, and like every series the Mets have played so far, Arizona took one game in their set.
Currently, the D-backs are sitting in the basement of the NL West, 4.5 games behind the first-place Dodgers. They’re also the only team in the NL West below .500 (5-8, but it still counts).
David Peralta has the highest average on the Diamondbacks at a whopping .233, while Daulton Varsho is their home run leader with *checks notes* … three. Tied with the Reds for the worst scoring offense in the National League at 2.85 runs a game, the Diamondbacks are allowing 4.08 per, hurt by a Senior Circuit-high 14 errors.
The Diamondbacks snapped a three-game skid on Wednesday with a 11-2 win over the Nationals, and closed their seven-game Eastern swing with another win in D.C. on Thursday. That gives Arizona a season-high winning streak of *checks notes* … two.
What happened last time?
Zach Davies and Caleb Smith would sneeze and give up a run during the first game of the Mets’ homestand while Francisco Lindor gave fans something to cheer about at the home opener by homering from both sides of the plate. Chris Bassitt was on point and the D-backs were roundly trounced on Tom Seaver Day. The series also saw Starling Marte’s first home run as a Met. Last Thursday marked the 11th time in a row that the Mets had beaten the D-Backs at Citi Field since 2018. This is notable because of what happened next.
The Mets and Diamondbacks were scoreless going into the seventh inning of the second game in the series when Sergio Alcantara broke the ice with a two-run dong in the seventh. An RBI double by Ketel Marte was then enough to beat the Mets, 3-2.
The Mets managed to bounce back in the rubber game with offense and aggressive baserunning sponsored by Pete Alonso. Alonso made it from first to third on a double to right by Eduardo Escobar before making it home thanks to a throwing error by Pavin Smith. J.D. Davis and James McCann brought in two more with a single and sac fly, respectively, and the scoring wrapped up with a two-run homer from Alonso in the seventh.
Okay, now what?
The Mets are off to Arizona for a three-game set in the desert. Between you and me, I hope the Diamondbacks wear those terrible City Connects and get lost in a sand dune.
Friday is going to see David Peterson vs. Zac Gallen. Peterson has a 1.20 WHIP over 8.1 innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven. Gallen has only made one appearance this season which was during the Saturday win against the Mets, going four innings and allowing two hits while walking one.
Saturday is TBD vs. TBD because the Diamondbacks don’t have enough quality pitchers for a real rotation and the Mets got thrown off by having a rainout on Monday and a doubleheader on Tuesday. This isn’t exactly the time of year to bring back Max Scherzer on three days’ rest.
Sunday is going to be noted asshole Madison Bumgarner vs. Tylor Megill, who seems like an angel. Maybe Bumgarner will start a nothingburger fight with someone, a little lukewarm beef to rope his relevance back in.
Trivia answer: Daisuke Matsuzaka was No. 16 for the Mets from 2013-14, and has since been followed with the number by Danny Muno, Dilson Herrera, Alejandro De Aza, Kevin Kaczmarski, Austin Jackson, and Jake Marisnick. The other multi-year Mets 16s since Doctor K? Paul Lo Duca and Angel Pagan.