The New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks will meet to begin their second series in a week when they open a three-game set on Monday night in Phoenix.
It is a quick rematch of the April 29-May 1 series at Citi Field, where the Diamondbacks won two of three games behind quality starts from Corbin Burnes and Zac Gallen.
Things are different now. Burnes will miss the scheduled rematch Monday because of right shoulder inflammation.
The Diamondbacks, in turn, will give right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-0, 5.82 ERA) his first start of the season in the opener.
Right-hander Griffin Canning (4-1, 2.61) is scheduled to start for the Mets, who have lost six of 10 since running off a seven-game winning streak that included a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The D-backs are back home after losing the first two contests of a three-game weekend set at Philadelphia before posting an 11-9 victory in 10 innings on Sunday. Arizona finished 3-3 on a trip to the top NL East contenders.
“I couldn’t say enough good things about the energy we played with today, and the focus that we had,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team led 7-1, lost the lead in the ninth, and scored three runs in the 10th.
“Clearly the offense picked up the pitching,” Lovullo added. “They fight together. We have to keep doing that. We have to stay hungry and stay focused.”
The Mets left 22 on base in the doubleheader on Sunday and also lost outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker, who left the first game with right side soreness and will not travel to Arizona. He likely is headed for the injured list, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The series will match two players who have flashed as early-season NL MVP candidates — Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll.
Alonso has eight homers, 31 RBIs and a 1.124 OPS, while Carroll has nine homers, 26 RBIs and a .919 OPS. Alonso was 3-for-7 with a homer in the previous series against Arizona, as the D-backs basically pitched around him, walking him five times.
“His ability to control the strike zone is probably the best I’ve seen it,” Mendoza said of Alonso. “We know the power’s there. We know he’s a good hitter. He gets in trouble when he starts chasing. I feel like now, he’s taking his walks, and he’s getting his pitches to hit and he’s not missing them.”
Carroll was 1-for-13 in the previous series versus the Mets but had two hits and three RBIs Sunday.
Arizona shortstop Geraldo Perdomo was 10-for-21 with one homer and five RBIs on the road trip, getting his first career four-hit game Sunday. Ketel Marte was 1-for-7 with a walk after returning Friday from a month on the injured list with a right hamstring injury.
Nelson is 0-2 with a 7.64 ERA in four career appearances, three starts, against the Mets. He has given up six homers in 17 2/3 innings, three to Alonso and two to Soto, who had a pair of solo homers off Gallen in the Diamondbacks’ 4-2 win on Thursday.
Canning is 1-2 with a 5.39 ERA in three starts against the D-backs, all while he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
–Field Level Media
