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Morning Briefing: Above .500?

PHOENIX

FIRST PITCH: The Mets aim to sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks and move above .500 for the first time this season when the teams play the series finale at 3:40 p.m. ET Wednesday at Chase Field.

Dillon Gee (0-0, 5.03 ERA) opposes right-hander Brandon McCarthy (0-2, 7.78) as the Mets attempt to complete their first series sweep in Phoenix since 2006.

Wednesday’s news reports:

Juan Lagares landed on the disabled list Tuesday with a pulled right hamstring, although Curtis Granderson remained active and labeled himself day-to-day.

The Mets promoted Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who had a big day in his season debut. Nieuwenhuis went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs and made a headfirst diving catch in right-center.

Read more on Lagares’ DL trip in the Post, Newsday, Times, Journal, Star-Ledger, Record and at MLB.com.

• The Mets beat the D-backs, 9-0, behind a combined shutout from Jenrry Mejia, Gonzalez Germen and Kyle Farnsworth. However, Mejia was forced to depart after five innings and 77 pitches because of a torn blister on his right middle finger. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Newsday, Times, Star-Ledger and at MLB.com.

Bartolo Colon has been dealing with a cranky bank, he exclusively told ESPNDeportes.com’s Marly Rivera. Read more in the Daily News.

• Jacob deGrom tossed seven scoreless innings as Las Vegas beat Reno, 6-3. T.J. Rivera went 3-for-5 with a double and homer as St. Lucie beat Jupiter, 11-6. Read the full minor-league recap here.

• After Chris Young hit .667 in three games in a rehab assignment with Vegas, Terry Collins expects the outfielder to rejoin the Mets on Wednesday at Chase Field and accompany the team to New York. C.Y. (quadriceps) is eligible to be activated from the DL on Friday.

• Columnist John Harper in the Daily News suggests the Mets' endless talk of prospects gets "tiresome."

Omar Quintanilla started for the second time in four games Tuesday, but Collins said the shortstop job still belongs to Ruben Tejada.

Lucas Duda will not see time in the outfield with Lagares on the DL. Read more in the Record and Newsday.

• Mike Vorkunov in the Star-Ledger discusses the early success of Jose Valverde and Farnsworth at the twilight of their careers.

From the bloggers … Faith and Fear enjoyed Tuesday night's romp in the desert. … NY Mets Life takes a look around the NL East.

BIRTHDAYS: Former Mets reliever Ken Takahashi turns 45. ... 2013 draft pick Tyler Bashlor, selected in the 11th round out of South Georgia College, is 21.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

YOU’RE UP: Will Nieuwenhuis thrive in Juan Lagares’ absence?