When the New York Mets come to Denver, it usually means there is bad weather headed to Colorado.
Three times since 2013 games have been postponed due to inclement weather, including last season when the opener of a three-game series was scrapped due to snow and cold.
There is no snow in the forecast for New York’s trip to Colorado to play the Rockies this weekend, but there might be rain Friday night when the Mets send Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.01 ERA) to face Colorado’s Connor Seabold (1-1, 5.97).
New York lost two of three games against the Cubs to start the week but left Chicago after a 10-1 win on Thursday. The Mets, who came into 2023 with World Series aspirations, are around .500 despite having Scherzer and Justin Verlander atop the rotation.
Scherzer is 2-5 with a 4.54 ERA in 12 career starts against the Rockies, but one of those was a hard-luck loss last year in Denver. Scherzer struck out 11 in seven innings and gave up the lone run of the game in Colorado’s win on Aug. 28.
It was a rare 1-0 game at Denver, especially with Pete Alonso in the lineup for New York. He won the 2021 Home Run Derby at Coors Field, his second straight victory in the event, and he is on pace for a career high in homers this season.
Alonso leads the majors with 19 long balls, including six in his past nine games — and now he is heading to a hitter-friendly park.
“I just feel like I’m in a really good spot,” Alonso said. “In control of my at-bats and just understanding what I can and can’t handle. I’m doing a really good job of capitalizing on stuff in my zone, and if it’s not there, I’m not swinging.”
Elias Diaz has just six home runs for the Rockies, but he has gone deep in three of the past four games. His hitting, combined with his defense, is making the case for him to be Colorado’s All-Star Game representative this summer.
“There’s an inner calmness to his play from the catching position,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “There were times last year where he wasn’t hitting and he tried to make up for it on defense.
“He’s calm. His at-bats have been really solid all year. You’ve seen the clutch at-bats. You’ve seen the pinch-hit at-bats. The total game is under control.”
Diaz started as the designated hitter on Thursday in Colorado’s wild, 7-6 win over the visiting Miami Marlins, so he likely will be behind the plate on Friday night.
Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle sustained a knee injury in the ninth inning on Thursday when he crashed into the outfield wall trying to make a leaping catch of Jorge Soler’s home run.
Black said, “We’ll know more (Friday), but we’re hoping it’s just a contusion.”
Seabold, who has never faced New York, is set to make his fifth start since joining the rotation in early May.
–Field Level Media