Mets at Diamondbacks: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Aug. 27-29

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Diamondbacks play a three-game series in Arizona starting on Tuesday night...

Preview

The Diamondbacks are still on fire

The Mets go from one sizzling hot team to another.

After splitting a four-game series against the Padres in San Diego, the Mets will be tasked with taming the D-backs.

The Diamondbacks are the hottest team in baseball -- winners of six straight, 12 of their last 15, and with a record of 26-8 since the All-Star break.

Like the Padres, Arizona has played lots of bad teams during its torrid stretch, going a combined 13-2 against the Pirates, Nationals, Rockies, and Marlins. But they've also excelled against top competition, including a 3-0 mark against the Guardians and 3-1 record against the Phillies.

The Diamondbacks have scored 701 runs this season, giving them the most high-powered offense in baseball. And their starting rotation has gotten some serious reinforcements lately, with returns from Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly -- though Kelly has struggled a bit since coming back.

The D-backs are shorthanded offensively right now, though, with Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, and Gabriel Moreno all on the IL.

Francisco Lindor is a monster

As Lindor has mounted a serious case for the National League MVP award, he is in the midst of a 24-game on-base streak.

Lindor is slashing .333/.377/.576 with five homers, seven doubles, and one triple in 23 games in August.

He'll carry a career-best 134 OPS+ into this series, and is on pace to finish the season with 33 homers, 42 doubles, 110 runs scored, and 96 RBI.

With the rest of the Mets' offense going through fits and starts with the team in the thick of a pennant race, Lindor has been a constant.

Can Sean Manaea keep rolling?

Except for a hiccup against the Mariners earlier this month in Seattle, Manaea has been terrific over his last five starts.

The numbers: a 2.61 ERA (2.39 FIP) in 31.0 innings with 20 hits, seven walks, and a minuscule .175/.230/.290 triple slash by opposing batters.

In each of those five starts (except the one against Seattle), Manaea has gone exactly seven innings.

He's also been missing bats at a strong rate, with nine strikeouts or more in three of those four seven-inning outings.

A starting rotation shuffle?

Manaea will start the first game of this series, with Luis Severino getting the ball in the second tilt.

Who pitches Thursday's series finale is up in the air.

With Paul Blackburn on the IL, the Mets will need a fill-in starter at some point before the end of the road trip. But they have options in the immediate.

They could turn to Peterson on regular rest on Thursday or call Tylor Megill up from Triple-A Syracuse for that start.

It makes more sense to have Peterson go against Arizona and let Megill face the White Sox over the weekend. But the Mets might simply want to give Peterson the extra day of rest, which would push him to the weekend series in Chicago.

The end of the 10-game gauntlet

This series marks the conclusion of an incredibly difficult 10-game stretch for New York.

During the first two series, they've taken care of business.

The Mets took two of three from the Orioles at Citi Field and then split a four-game series against the Padres in San Diego.

After this series, the Mets have three against the White Sox before returning to New York for a six-game homestand against the Red Sox and Reds that will be followed by a trip to Toronto and Philadelphia.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

J.D. Martinez

Martinez showed signs on Sunday of coming out of his mini-slump -- lining a single and smacking a homer.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Luis Severino

Severino bent but didn't break against the Padres as his stuff continued to play up.

Which D-backs player will be a thorn in Mets' side?

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Gurriel is hitting .409/.481/.636 over his last seven games.