Zac Gallen Looks to End Diamondbacks Skid vs Mets

The D-backs once again turn to their ace to stop a losing streak.

Apr 20, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The Diamondbacks are in the midst of another three-game losing streak. After a disappointing series loss to the struggling Marlins, they then proceeded to be swept in a two-game set against their former World Series foes in the Texas Rangers. Today, they'll begin a four-game series against the Mets at Citi Field. First pitch is at 4:10 PM Arizona time.

Up against a Mets squad that has found little to no success in the prior month, they'll have to find a way to jumpstart their offense, while preventing a potential offensive resurgence from New York.

The Mets are 22-33, and, despite a somewhat solid looking record to begin the season, they have gone an astounding 10-25 since April 21st. The D-backs have shown bursts of turning it around, going 5-1 against the Reds and taking two of three in Los Angeles, but fell to the last place Marlins before going 0-2 in Texas.

The Mets have historically been a challenge for the Arizona, and with a four game series coming up, it's crucial to get off to at least a decent start against a struggling opponent. The D-backs will look to their ace Zac Gallen to deliver the start they need.

It hasn't looked like the most dominant season for Gallen thus far, but he does sport a sturdy 3.12 ERA, and he's pitched through the sixth inning or further six times. He's also continued the trend of striking out hitters while limiting walks, with a 60/15 K/BB on the season, with his WHIP down to 1.13. His last outing saw him give up three earned runs over seven innings, although he was ultimately stuck with the loss despite the QS.

Peripherally, Gallen has been hit pretty hard, although it hasn't been enough to really do much damage against the right-hander. He is susceptible to hard contact, especially if his breaking and off-speed pitches aren't as sharp as they could be, but he has been overall reliable in 2024.

The Mets will send right-hander Christian Scott to the mound. Scott is only 24, in his first season of MLB action. He's pitched three Quality Starts in four opportunities, has a 1.10 WHIP, and allows only a .235 average against. He features a mid-velocity four-seam, slider, sweeper and occasional splitter.

A comprehensive look at the overall series pitching matchup can be found here, from Jack Sommers.

The D-backs lineup is generally the same as usual, but with Pavin Smith taking a turn in right field over Jake McCarthy. McCarthy has been hitting well, with a .333 average in his last seven games, but will take a seat for today's matchup.

Corbin Carroll showed a promising performance yesterday, going 3-for-5 with a double. However, despite the D-backs' engine coming to life, they only managed one run. Part of that is due to Ketel Marte's 0-for-20 slide. The stud second baseman was riding a 21-game hit streak, but has cooled off significantly over the last week. Arizona will likely need production from both Carroll and Marte if they want to get off to a better offensive start.

Joc Pederson is only 2-for-12 in his last four games, but he continues to put up quality at-bats, with three walks over that span. His slash is still an impressive .306/.409/.532. Arizona desperately needs production from the entire lineup, but especially the Carroll/Gurriel/Suarez/Moreno group, who have not yet performed up to their potential despite being a crucial part of the offense.

The Mets will send only three right-handed bats to the plate against Gallen. However, one such righty is a familiar face in JD Martinez. The 36-year-old Martinez hasn't lived up to the power expectations set for him, with only three home runs and seven extra-base hits as a Met, but his overall numbers are still solid, with a .271/.310/.421 slash.

At this point in the Mets' season, there isn't a particularly "dangerous" section of the lineup to watch out for. But, as is the nature of baseball, that could change at any moment. With last night's fiasco regarding reliever Jorge Lopez, and New York's overall struggles both at the plate and defensively, this series could become a prime opportunity to bite the D-backs if they don't quickly and strongly take advantage of the flaws in this Mets squad.

Gallen will have to be sharp, and the offense--which has produced just seven runs in their last five games--needs to come out of their slumber quickly, and as a complete unit. Setting the tone for a four-game set, especially at Citi Field, will be of the utmost importance, especially as they sit five games below .500, in desperate need of some consistency.