Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Diamondbacks play a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.
Preview
Is the Juan Soto breakout coming?
If it feels like we've posed this question a few times during this article series only for Soto to not break out in the ensuing few games, it's because we have -- and he hasn't.
But this time feels different.
Soto has five multi-hit games in his last nine contests and has reached base safely in six of his last nine plate appearances, including a double he effortlessly ripped down the left field line his final time up on Monday.
The home run power has been absent since Soto's last long ball on April 15, and it should be noted that he hasn't yet hit his first homer at Citi Field as a Met.
Come on down, Brandon Waddell?
The Mets are planning to use a sixth starter on Wednesday night, and they utilized Jose Urena for three innings on Monday.
That means the even money is on Waddell getting the call from Triple-A Syracuse and taking the ball against Arizona.
The left-handed Waddell last pitched in the majors in 2021, and compiled a 5.68 ERA in just 12.2 innings in parts of two seasons with the Pirates, Twins, Orioles, and Cardinals while working in relief.
Then he went to play in the KBO in Korea, where he became a starting pitcher and had serious success -- posting a 2.98 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 53 starts over 244.2 innings in three seasons.
So far this season in Triple-A, Waddell has a 1.54 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 23.1 innings spanning five starts.
Is Brandon Nimmo back?
Nimmo was mired in a bad slump, which was hampering the Mets' offense a bit since he wasn't doing much while batting in the middle of it.
That changed on Monday.
