Preview, #40: Arizona Diamondbacks vs New York Mets

Has Zack finally figured it out? He has given the D-backs five consecutive quality starts, with an ERA of 2.06 - and perhaps most impressively, a K:BB ratio of 44:4 over those 35 innings of work. No Arizona pitcher has managed more than five QS in a row since the end of the 2014 campaign: Josh Collmenter had a streak of seven to finish off that season. After that, we've had Corbin with a couple of five-game runs of quality starts, in both 2015 and 2017, and now Greinke's ongoing set. But if you throw in six-plus strikeouts per game, as Zack has managed, you've then got to go back to Dan Haren in June + July 2009, to find a longer run.

Left-hander up for the Mets, which may play into why Jake Lamb and David Peralta are sitting, though the team may also be being cautious with Peralta. Lamb is 7-for-42 against southpaws this season, though has still been taking his share of walks. That helps get his OPS up to .557, but that's not good enough to be considered better than Descalso for tonight's game. I imagine we may well see Lamb off the bench later on if necessary. Interesting to see Ahmed batting #2 in the order, just behind Blanco. It'll only be the second time this year Ahmed has started a game higher than seventh in the order (the other being May 6 in Colorado).

If the team would indulge me and score some runs slightly earlier in the game than last night, it would be appreciated. Things to do, y'know.