The Arizona Diamondbacks believe they have taken a step toward reviving their struggling offense by promoting top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt from Triple-A Reno on Friday.
To make room on the roster, the team designated five-year veteran Alek Thomas for assignment. Thomas’s .181 batting average mirrored the slow start that has plagued Arizona’s lineup.
Waldschmidt, 23, collected a line-drive single in his first major league plate appearance as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning Friday. However, the Diamondbacks continued their losing trend, falling 3-1 in 10 innings to the New York Mets. The loss came ahead of Saturday’s middle game of a three-game series at Chase Field.
“We’re just grinding right now,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team has dropped seven of its last eight contests.
May 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pinch hitter Ryan Waldschmidt hits an eighth inning single for the first hit of his MLB career against the New York Mets at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Right-hander Clay Holmes (4-2, 1.69 ERA) will start for the Mets on Saturday, opposing Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (1-3, 9.95).
The Mets also need an offensive spark, and they found it late Friday when Brett Baty and Carson Benge delivered run-scoring doubles in the 10th inning. That victory gave New York its fourth win in five games.
Injuries to Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. have hampered a Mets offense that ranks near the bottom of the majors in most production categories. Entering the weekend series in Arizona, the Mets were 29th in runs scored with 134—only the San Francisco Giants (115) had fewer.
New York’s 30 home runs ranked 26th, their .229 batting average was tied for 28th, their .351 on-base percentage was 29th, and their .351 slugging percentage was last in the majors. Only the Giants had a lower OPS than the Mets’ .664.
Carson Benge has been a bright spot. He is 6-for-14 during a six-game hitting streak and is batting .326 with two home runs, four doubles, and eight RBIs over his last 14 games, after opening the season hitting just .136.
“Obviously not missing pitches,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Using the whole field. Pulling the ball when he needs to and going the other way when he has to. There’s always an adjustment period, and it makes it tougher when there are a lot of guys going through it at the same time and you are the young guy on the team, the youngest guy.”
Arizona ranked 22nd in runs entering the weekend and was in the lower half of most offensive categories. Their .302 on-base percentage was 27th.
General manager Mike Hazen said Waldschmidt is not expected to be an immediate hero, but his minor league numbers give the Diamondbacks confidence he can become a consistent offensive contributor over time. At Reno, Waldschmidt hit .289 with three homers and nine doubles in 156 plate appearances. He also added three triples and nine stolen bases, posting an .877 OPS. He is expected to start in center field on Saturday.
“I feel we had to start making some changes to the complexion profile of what we are doing offensively,” Hazen said. “This one change isn’t going what we’re doing offensively, but starting to integrate him into the lineup I think will have a positive impact in what we are trying to do.”
Thomas had an option remaining, but the D-backs chose to designate him for assignment. The team has a seven-day window to trade or waive him. If he clears waivers, they could re-sign him.
“I feel like if we just optioned him, I wasn’t sure if we were going to get the best version of him (if he remains in the organization),” Hazen said. “If you are exposed to 29 other teams where they could have had you, there may be a different mindset in terms of where you stand in the game.”
Kelly is 1-5 with a 5.06 ERA in six career starts against the Mets, and he has not beaten them since 2019. Juan Soto is 5-for-19 with a home run against him.
Holmes is
