Colorado Rockies outfielder Jurickson Profar and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte own the two longest active on-base streaks in the majors.
Profar and Marte aim to continue their torrid play on Monday when the Rockies open a four-game series against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Profar extended his on-base streak to 35 games in Colorado’s 11-10 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday. He reached base four times (3-for-8, walk, two runs) while playing in two of the three games against Arizona in late April.
Marte, in turn, pushed his run to a career-best 27 games in the Diamondbacks’ 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. He went 1-for-6 with a homer and two RBIs in two games during the April series vs. the Rockies.
Those two players aren’t the only ones getting it done at the plate, however.
Ryan McMahon homered in his third straight game on Sunday and drove in a career high-tying five runs to propel Colorado to its fifth win in seven games. McMahon is 8-for-15 with five extra-base hits (three homers, two doubles) and nine RBIs in his past four contests.
“I’m just trying to go out there and play good baseball — even when I’m going bad, I’m trying to do that,” McMahon said, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. “I like what I’m doing in the box and I’m repeating it better.”
Teammate Charlie Blackmon is riding a season-high, nine-game hitting streak and has reached base in 18 straight games.
Arizona’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr., in turn, has hit safely in 21 of his past 22 games.
Corbin Carroll belted a two-run homer to the opposite field on Sunday, much to the pleasure of Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo.
“When we do have an all-field approach, we start to become unpredictable and we can end up slugging as we did in a couple situations,” Lovullo said. “We’ll continue to press on with that message.”
A pair of rookie right-handers, Colorado’s Karl Kauffmann (0-2, 9.35 ERA) and Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (1-2, 5.02), will be tasked with keeping each team’s offense in check on Monday.
Kauffmann, 25, has endured his fair share of growing pains since being promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque. He allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings in both of his starts, including a 10-2 setback to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.
“One of the most important things for me is the feeling that I belong here,” Kauffmann said. “Those first few innings I’ve had the past couple of outings kind of reiterates that to me. Now, it’s just trying to find a way to make those adjustments and get those hitters out the third time through.”
Kauffmann has yet to face the Diamondbacks in his young career.
Nelson, 25, emerged with his fourth straight no-decision on Tuesday despite allowing just one run on three hits in six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.
He lost his lone career encounter vs. Colorado on April 30 after permitting a season-high six runs on nine hits in four innings during a 12-4 setback.
–Field Level Media
