After starting the season with 14 games on the east coast, the NL East-leading New York Mets (10-4) head west for the first time this season with a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (5-8). In a scheduling twist, these teams have already played this season and won’t meet again after Sunday’s series finale. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET at Chase Field in Phoenix, airing locally in both markets.
The Mets took two-of-three from the DBacks last weekend at home, outscoring Arizona 17-6 in the process. The Mets went 5-1 against Arizona last year with a home sweep and a series win in Phoenix. LHP David Peterson (0-0, 0.00) gets the start for the Mets while RHP Zac Gallen (0-0, 0.00) starts for Arizona.
Mets Keep Rolling
The Mets won another series this week, taking three of four from San Francisco, including a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday. The Mets have allowed five runs just twice in a game this season and have yet to allow six or more. Meanwhile, the offense has put up at last five runs eight times, including in a 6-2 afternoon win on Thursday.
Francisco Lindor carried the offense on Thursday with three hits, including his fourth home run of the season. He is batting .308 with 10 RBI on the season in a nice bounce-back after a subpar 2021 by his standards. Eduardo Escobar has hit safely in five straight games and clubbed his first homer of the season on Thursday.
Pete Alonso leads the Mets with 14 RBI, while Starling Marte has 11. Alonso also has three homers, and the Mets have 14 as a team in 14 games. Escobar already has seven doubles, while both Lindor and Marte have three stolen bases.
Peterson faced Arizona on Saturday with 4 ⅓ shutout innings. He allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out four. The lefty hasn’t allowed a run in 8 ⅓ innings this season while striking out seven and allowing six hits in two no-decisions.
He was roughed up by the DBacks last year, allowing eight runs in two innings combined in two starts. Ketel Marte took him deep in 2021, while Pavin Smith has hits against the lefty in both seasons. Carson Kelly had a double in last week’s game, while Daulton Varsho had the other hit.
Gallen Good When Healthy
Arizona beat Washington on Thursday to split a four-game road series. They enter this series with two straight wins to end a seven-game road trip. Arizona is 2-4 at home this season and 1-3 against left-handed starters.
Marte is off to a slow start at .184 while Christian Walker is batting .146. Of the Arizona regulars with at least 30 at-bats, six are hitting below .235, and only rookie Seth Beer is batting over .300. Beer leads the team with a .400 average and eight RBI while also adding three doubles.
Varsho leads Arizona with three homers, while both Walker and Cooper Hummel have two. Matt Davidson returned to the big leagues on Thursday and homered in his 2022 debut while playing third base. The veteran had eight long balls in 11 AAA games this year before being added by Arizona.
Gallen took a no-decision at New York in his only start of the season last Saturday. He allowed two hits over four shutout innings while striking out two and walking one. Robinson Cano and Jeff McNeil had the hits against Gallen last weekend, while Escobar and Tomas Nido had the strikeouts.
Gallen has been injury-prone with three trips to the IL last season and already two injuries this season. Shoulder tightness resulted in him being behind at the start of spring training, then Gallen missed his first start of 2022 with a cut on his thumb.
Betting Analysis
New York Mets -1.5 run line (+125). -130 Moneyline
Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5 (-145). +110 Moneyline
Run Total: 8.5. Over -105. Under -115.
The Mets dominated the Diamondbacks last weekend and won the game started by Gallen, 5-0. They have the advantage in this series in starting pitching and hitting as the Diamondbacks average less than three runs per game and hit .168 as a team. Those are dangerous numbers against the Mets’ vaunted pitching staff.
Betting Pick: Mets Moneyline (-130)
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