The Arizona Diamondbacks (50-37, 24-22 home) conclude a three-game series with the New York Mets (40-46, 20-27 away) on Thursday night. New York looks for the series sweep after taking the first two matchups.
The first pitch of the series finale is at 9:40 p.m. EST at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks are the betting favorite (-135 moneyline), while the over/under total is ten runs.
What to Know – New York Mets
New York has rallied as the first half of the season comes to a close, winning four in a row heading into the series finale. The Mets find themselves in fourth place in the NL East, trailing the Atlanta Braves by 18 games.
The Mets send right-hander Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 5.94 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) to the mound to close out the series. The veteran starter aims to pick up his first pitching victory since the end of May after one loss and four no-decisions in June. Carrasco has thrown 53.0 innings this year, giving up 35 earned runs on 57 hits, 26 walks, and striking out 39 batters.
New York’s offense is 21st amongst league lineups hitting .239 collectively while scoring 4.5 runs per game. The pitching staff for the Mets also sits 21st in the MLB with a 4.46 team earned run average.
The offense runs through the core hitters of Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. The two have combined to drive in 114 runs and smack 42 home runs, accounting for 30% of New York’s run production. Bradon Nimmo leads the lineup with a .276 batting average and a .373 on-base percentage.
What to Know – Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have lost three in a row, but the first half has gone better than anticipated for Arizona. With just a handful of games remaining before the All-Star break, Arizona maintains a 1.5-game lead in the NL West.
Ryne Nelson (5-4, 4.67 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) makes his second start of July for the Diamondbacks. The 25-year-old was effective the last time out, firing 7.1 innings of one-run ball to secure his fifth victory of the year. On the season, Nelson has 90.2 innings pitched, allowing 47 earned runs on 96 hits and 29 walks while striking out 64 batters.
Offensively, the Diamondbacks are eighth in the majors batting .260 and averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Arizona’s pitching staff is 18th in the league sporting a 4.36 team ERA.
Young phenom Corbin Carroll is a huge part of the Diamondbacks’ success. The 22-year-old has hit 18 home runs and stolen 24 bases to earn a spot on the NL All-Star roster next week. Christian Walker leads Arizona with 57 RBIs backed by 18 dingers.
The Pick is In
New York has put the foot on the gas over the last week and is salivating for a much-needed series sweep. The Diamondbacks are the real deal this season, and it is hard to see Arizona losing three in a row three in a row at home. A late comeback gives the D’backs a much-needed victory in the finale.
The Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks ML
