NY Mets vs. Diamondbacks: A clash of potential MVPs, possible playoff matchup

Francisco Lindor held a 40-minute players-only meeting the night before the New York Mets had to pick themselves off the mat from the disaster that was the three-game sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. Lindor, who'd (now famously) been moved to the leadoff spot two weeks prior, needed to set the tone for how the team would respond from then on. Although fans remember Lindor's move to the top of the lineup as an immediate success, he'd hit 1 home run and slashed .265/.321/.408 up until the Mets met the Diamondbacks on May 30, 2024. It was against Arizona where things really took off for the star shortstop.

It was more than just wins and losses for the Mets for those four games against Arizona.

Lindor had a heck of a response to those who questioned the functionality of a team meeting by going 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the first meeting of the year with the D-Backs. The Mets went on to win the game on a go-ahead solo shot from JD Martinez in the bottom of the eighth inning. Lindor would again show his leadership the next night with two more hits, a stolen base and an RBI in the Mets' 10-9 win.

The Mets would lose the next two to split the series even, but the tone that was set in the first two games would prove to be huge for the remainder of the season, as we all know. Lindor went on an MVP-caliber tear for the rest of the way, hitting 25 home runs, driving in 65, while slashing .309/.380/.572 to lift the Mets to a postseason birth in the memorable game 161 against the Braves in Atlanta. The team they leapfrogged in the standings? The Arizona Diamondbacks.

The final blow came against the Braves, but the key was taking down the D-Backs

About to enter the final month of the season, the Mets, Braves, Padres, and Diamondbacks were all in play for the three NL Wild Card spots. New York had won its season series over San Diego 5-2, but needed to win two of three in Arizona to ensure a chance to win the final position if it came down to tiebreakers in the end. Which it inevitably did. In the rubber match on August 29, New York found itself a run in the sixth inning. The Mets' MVP did not wait to provide a jolt, blasting a game-tying homer to right field. New York would win the game and the season series on a go-ahead eighth-inning single by Jose Iglesias.

Although the Mets and D-Backs had the same record to finish the season, New York owned the tiebreaker and went on a magical "OMG" postseason run we will never forget.

The next meeting could be a postseason preview

Now, in 2025, the Mets are set to square off with a Diamondbacks team led by Corbin Carroll, who has 9 home runs, 23 RBI, 5 stolen bases, and is slashing .308/.376/.667 to begin the year. The D-Backs' (15-13) record is nothing to scoff at this early in the season, as they have shown to go on hot streaks at any point in the year to get into playoff contention.

Francisco Lindor, since that four-game set in Queens last May, has all but supplanted himself as the captain of the New York Mets and the best shortstop in the National League, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 79, slashing .310/.377/.554 since May 30, 2024, leading the way to the best record in the NL to start the campaign.

The stars will be out for this matchup, and it will be a great test outside of the NL East to see just how good these Mets really are.