The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres will meet in the third incarnation of the Mexico City Series in a two-game set beginning Saturday.
If form holds, runs will follow.
The Padres and San Francisco Giants combined for 37 runs in the inaugural two-game set in 2023, which the Padres swept with 16-11 and 6-4 victories. The teams combined for 15 homers, 11 in the first game.
The pace slowed slightly in 2024, but the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies still combined for 26 runs. The Astros hit six homers in sweeping the two games, 12-4 and 8-2.
Mexico City’s host site, Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, is well-positioned for offense. Mexico City has a listed elevation of 7,320 feet, more than 2,000 feet greater than Denver’s Coors Field, highest in the majors.
The dimensions also help generate offense. It is 332 feet down the left field and right field lines, and 410 feet in dead center.
“We have a lot of experience playing in Colorado, and we know the ball is going to take off there,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.51 ERA) is to oppose Padres right-hander German Marquez (2-1, 3.86) in the Saturday opener.
Neither starter is a stranger to altitude. Marquez made 97 appearances (96 starts) at Coors Field in his 10 seasons with the Rockies. Gallen is 3-0 in eight starts at Coors in his eight seasons.
“One thing I don’t want our hitters to do is try to drive the ball and hit long fly balls that carry out of the ballpark,” said Lovullo, instructions similar to the approach at Coors Field.
“I want them to be good hitters. I want them to trust their approach and trust what they are capable of doing. Good hitters will let balls carry out of the park naturally. If they get an extra 10 feet on their carry, good for them. But I don’t want to change our approach.”
Both teams have been playing well. The Diamondbacks have won nine of 14 despite losing two of three to the Chicago White Sox earlier in the week, their first series loss since opening weekend.
The Padres have won 12 of 14 after a 10-8 comeback victory at Colorado on Thursday and have not lost a series since the first two of the season.
“Baseball is supposed to be enjoyable,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said of the expected fan excitement, “so it’s easy to marry those two things. Should be a fun trip. Fun atmosphere for us all to be playing in.”
San Diego first baseman Gavin Sheets hit a go-ahead three-run homer in a five-run ninth inning Thursday, the second time he had done that against the Rockies this season. He hit a three-run walk-off homer in the Padres’ 5-2 victory April 10.
San Diego has been the best team in the majors since March 30, going 16-6. Atlanta was 16-7 entering Friday games, and the Chicago Cubs were 15-7.
The Padres have several return visitors to Mexico City. Manny Machado had two of the Padres’ six homers against the Giants on April 29, 2023, and Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts had one apiece.
Padres closer Mason Miller, who leads the majors with nine saves, enters the series with a 33 2/3-inning scoreless streak after pitching the ninth Thursday, tying the franchise record held by Cla Meredith (2006). Miller has 27 strikeouts in 12 1/3 scoreless innings this season.
“Tying something is cool, but obviously you want to go a little further,” Miller told reporters. “So hopefully just keep rolling and keep doing what I’m doing.”
–Field Level Media
