The Mets have hit their first drought of their season. EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!

In all seriousness, the Mets have struggled in their last two series against the Diamondbacks and Cardinals. Their bullpen has given up key runs in certain situations, which has been the difference in some games. Their starting pitching has not given them depth, which has put plenty of strain on the team’s bullpen. And while the lineup has been picking up steam, they have struggled with timely hitting over the past week.

However, the Mets are still in a good position. They are 22-13, have a lineup that is still improving, and still have an overall group of pitchers that can supplement the production the bats have started to put together.

But with other teams in the NL surging and the Phillies hot on their trail in the NL East, the Mets need a rebound to start their week. And what better situation for that than in a revenge series against the Arizona Diamondbacks?

Traveling to the West Coast, New York has an opportunity to start a tough stretch of games on a high note. Between the players they have on the mound and the opponents they are facing, the Mets could easily rip off two or three wins. They could easily drop the series, too.

How do the Mets stack up against the Diamondbacks this time around? And has the storyline or prediction changed from last week? Follow along and get ready for the latest upcoming series for the New York Mets.

Griffin Canning (46) – Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Pitching Matchups

Monday: Ryne Nelson (1–0, 5.82 ERA)

• To start the week, the Mets will send one of the most surprising pitchers in the National League to the bump. Griffin Canning, who holds a 4-1 record and a 2.61 ERA, is coming off another solid performance where he struck out four batters over five innings pitched. He has 27 strikeouts on the season, a pitching run value of three, and is inducing plenty of weak contact. However, Canning has had some issues with walks over the year; he has only walked less than two batters in one of his five starts. On top of the impressive arsenal he has shown, Canning needs to be able to show better command of the zone. If he does this, New York will again be in a great position to win the game on Monday. For Arizona, Ryne Nelson is an interesting case. He has gotten shelled at times this year, but he has also shut down opposing lineups. In his first start against the Mets last week, he provided four innings of scoreless ball, striking out four players. To produce runs against Nelson, New York will need to attack early in counts and capitalize on the mistakes he makes. Otherwise, it may be a tough day for the Mets’ lineup.

Tuesday: Zac Gallen (2–4, 4.93 ERA) 

• While they did not face each other last week, David Peterson and Zac Gallen get another crack at each other’s team in the second game of the series. Peterson, who only struck out two and gave up five hits, danced around trouble in his game. He induced plenty of weak contact, got hitters to swing at plenty of pitches, and limited the damage the Diamondbacks’ lineup could do. Peterson has shown that he can shut down lineups without his best stuff; if he has his strikeout pitchworking, the lefty could have a great day. As for Gallen, he generated plenty of swings and misses against the Mets the first time around. However, he narrowly avoided trouble on multiple occasions, whether through walks or line drive outs. If he does not adjust for his next outing, the Mets might put up a crooked number. However, a pitcher of Gallen’s caliber always adjusts, and it will likely be another hard-fought game between the teams on Tuesday. 

Wednesday: Merrill Kelly (3–1, 4.06 ERA)

• In his first start against the Diamondbacks, Kodai Senga was extremely solid. Generating six strikeouts and only allowing one run, the Mets’ ace did what he needed to do to keep the Mets within striking distance of Arizona all game. However, Senga saw his command slip his last start, allowing more than two walks for the first time this season. Considering the Mets need more length out of their starters, Senga needs to rebound from the walks and locate better on Wednesday. Similar to New York’s other probable pitchers, he could be in store for a great performance. The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, will send Merrill Kelly to the mound. Outside of one blowup outing in April against the Yankees, the pitcher has been relatively lights-out for the Diamondbacks. With a deep pitch mix and good command, Kelly presents a very interesting matchup for the Mets in the last game of the series.

Pete Alonso. Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Main Headline

Injuries, just like in any other sport, are brutal to deal with. The New York Mets are facing that reality at the beginning of May.

On top of injuries to players from before the season started, New York has lost multiple key contributors in the past few days. Reliable lefties A.J. Minter and Danny Young are out for an extended period; Minter suffered a lat strain, while Young will unfortunately undergo Tommy John surgery. Outfielder Jesse Winker is likely heading to the injured list, too, as he suffered an oblique injury against the Cardinals.

Taking all of this into account, the main headline revolves around who will step up in light of these injuries. Will a player like Drew Gilbert soon be called upon for the major league team, or will the Mets turn to one of their many veteran depth options in the minor leagues to replace Winker? Will an impact arm or two step up in the team’s bullpen, or will the Mets seek outside help to keep the line moving?

The best teams in baseball are not immune to injuries. Rather, they fill voids with contributors up and down the lineup. If one player goes down, another one or two players step up to fill that void. In some cases, the replacement can help elevate the team to higher heights than the original starter.

New York will have a chance to show what their mettle is and what they are truly made of in this series. Like many of the “headlines” I discuss, there will not be a full answer given here. However, the baseball world as a whole will get to soon see what the Mets are made of in 2025; between the slight struggles and injuries, it is more adversity than they have faced all season. Depending on how they respond and perform, we could have a true glimpse into how far the Mets can push themselves this season.

Prediction

After some struggles last week, I see the Mets rebounding nicely and sweeping the Diamondbacks. Senga and Peterson will have their best outings of 2025 and showcase their best command yet. Ryne Stanek and Edwin Díaz will notch saves in back-to-back games. Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez will hit home runs, while Pete Alonso and Juan Soto will combine for seven RBIs. Heading into an exciting series with the Chicago Cubs, I see the Mets sitting at 25-13.