What D-backs' Massive Series Win vs Mets Told Us

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 7-6 after taking two out of three games from the New York Mets in a three-game series.

Despite a rough start to their lengthy road trip in the form of a walk-off loss, Arizona rallied for back-to-back dominant wins over the Mets.

Here's what we learned from this series, and two questions that loom large as a result.

What we learned from D-backs' series win over Mets

1: Eduardo Rodriguez's 2026 might be real

Apr 9, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez allowed his first run of the season in the first inning of his start on Thursday. He then pitched five more scoreless outings, worked his way out of base traffic and delivered a six-inning quality start on 102 pitches.

Rodriguez's ERA through 18 innings this season is 0.50, and while he may not be striking out batters at a high clip, he's doing what he has always done best — keeping hitters off-balance and inducing soft contact.

It's not as if there are expectations of a Cy Young-caliber season for Rodriguez, but since the World Baseball Classic, the veteran lefty truly has looked like a different pitcher than the one who came into the year with an ERA over 5.00 as a Diamondback.

2: Jose Fernandez deserves as much playing time as possible

Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Jose Fernandez (11) at bat in the eighth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Electric rookie infielder Jose Fernandez has found a way to contribute to some degree in just about every game he's played. Fernandez started at first base in game two and at third base in game three — both of Arizona's wins.

He went 2-for-4 with a double on Thursday, while also making an impressive slide to score a run on a fielder's choice.

There's clearly still development to be done, but the D-backs just seem to win games when Fernandez starts. Arizona has won every game in which Fernandez was in the starting lineup.

He's made defensive plays, taken big swings and created havoc on the basepaths — the three tenants of a quality Arizona Diamondback. Fernandez could (and should) continue to force his way into more playing time going forward.

Questions remaining after D-backs' series win over Mets

1: Who needs Corbin Carroll?

Arizona Diamondbacks Corbin Carroll (7) celebrates a 3-run home run against the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field on March 30, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks do, obviously. If Arizona were to lose Carroll for any significant amount of time, it would be devastating to the team's chances at a playoff berth.

But this question isn't about Carroll himself.

Arizona won back-to-back games by nearly identical scores. They scored seven runs apiece in both games two and three. In juxtaposed games, The D-backs' offense exploded in separate games both because of — and without — its homegrown superstar.

Carroll went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple in game two, spurring on an outburst of runs in the first two innings in his 500th career game. But Carroll was absent from the game three rubber match lineup due to a minor hip issue.

And the Diamondbacks exploded in the same way, from a different part of the order.

The D-backs' 4-9 hitters went a combined 7-for-23 (.304) with four doubles and a triple to spark a four-run seventh and three-run eighth inning on Thursday. Ildemaro Vargas — batting second — had a double and a run scored of his own.

The question, in essence, is whether or not low-order production is something the D-backs can count on regularly, especially if the Marte-Carroll-Perdomo trio runs into a rough patch or suffers an injury. Time will tell, but Thursday's game was exactly the right sign.

2: Are the Diamondbacks... good?

Apr 9, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Taylor Rashi (54) and Gabriel Moreno celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

For a team that had so many injuries, obvious flaws and general uncertainty about the state of the roster coming in to 2026, Arizona isn't exactly struggling.

Sure, the D-backs are just one game over .500 at 7-6. But since leaving Dodger Stadium, Arizona has gone 7-3. They swept the Tigers and split a four-game series with the Braves to earn a 5-2 homestand, then stomped the Mets in two of three on the road.

Winning a road series against a playoff team like the Mets in such dominant fashion certainly looked like the actions of a team who might contend for a wild card berth this season, especially if Arizona's pitching remains anywhere near the level it's been performing at lately.

That, of course, is a massive if.

There's plenty of season left, and there are plenty of games to be blown in heartbreaking fashion, but the Diamondbacks are one bad opening series against the toughest team in baseball away from looking like a legitimate force in terms of win-loss record.

Skepticism is certainly not a faulty position to take at this early point of the season. But the Diamondbacks are playing good baseball right now, and they don't seem to have come close to hitting their ceiling yet.