Randal Grichuk plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks, which means New York City sees him three or four times a year when the D-backs visit Citi Field in Queens. If you're in Crown Heights and want to catch one of those games, you need to know the schedule before you plan anything else. The Mets post their full season calendar in February, and interleague or National League matchups shift year to year, so the first task is confirming that Arizona is actually in town the weekend you're free. No schedule, no trip.
Karpo checks tonight's lineup and first pitch, then builds you a live route from Crown Heights that accounts for weekend service changes and gets you to your seat before the anthem.
The reality of catching a visiting outfielder
Citi Field sits in Flushing, reachable by the 7 train from Manhattan or a longer combination ride from Brooklyn. From Crown Heights, you're looking at the 3 to Times Square, then the 7 to Mets-Willets Point, or the A/C to West Fourth and a transfer to the same 7. Both routes take fifty to sixty-five minutes under normal conditions, but weekend service advisories routinely add fifteen minutes or force you onto a shuttle bus for part of the stretch. The stadium holds more than forty thousand people, and when a weekend game sells well, the 7 platform at Times Square becomes a slow-moving queue twenty minutes before first pitch. Arriving ninety minutes early is not overkill if you want to watch batting practice and avoid standing on a hot platform.
Randal Grichuk bats right-handed and plays right field or designated hitter, so his spot in the lineup and whether he starts depends on the opposing pitcher and the manager's card that day. Even if Arizona is in town, there's no guarantee he plays all three games of a series. Check the official lineup an hour before first pitch on the team's app or the stadium's scoreboard feed. If he's listed ninth or on the bench, you'll see fewer plate appearances, but you're already committed to the trip by then. Build the plan around the fact that you're going to a Major League Baseball game in New York City, and Grichuk's presence is a reason to pick this series over another, not the entire reason you bought a ticket.
Citi Field's outfield seating—sections 136 through 142 in right field—puts you closest to Grichuk's defensive position when Arizona is in the field. Tickets in those sections on a weekend typically start around thirty-five dollars for upper rows and climb depending on the opponent and day of the week. The Mets also draw well when they're winning, so a Friday night game in July will cost more than a Sunday day game in April. Buy tickets directly from the Mets' site or a major resale platform; avoid anyone selling printed tickets outside the subway station, because the stadium uses mobile-only entry and those printouts are often invalid or duplicated.
Two subway routes, one realistic timetable
The 3 train from Crown Heights-Utica Avenue to Times Square runs every eight to twelve minutes on weekends, and the ride takes about thirty-five minutes if the train doesn't hold for signal clearance south of 14th Street. Once you surface at Times Square, follow the signs for the 7 to Flushing; the platform sits one level down and requires a long corridor walk from the 1/2/3 mezzanine. On a game day, that corridor fills with people moving slowly, and the 7 platform itself gets crowded enough that you may wait for a second or third train to find standing room. The 7 takes another twenty-two minutes to Mets-Willets Point, and when you exit, you're in a pedestrian stream that funnels across an elevated walkway directly into the ballpark plaza. The entire trip, door to gate, runs seventy-five to ninety minutes if you time it well.
The alternative is the A or C from Nostrand Avenue or Utica Avenue to West Fourth Street, then the transfer to the 7. The A runs more frequently than the C on weekends, but both lines share the same tunnel through Manhattan and are subject to the same delays. The transfer at West Fourth is underground, shorter than the Times Square walk, and less crowded, but the A/C to West Fourth takes about forty minutes, and the 7 from there is the same twenty-two-minute ride. You save a few minutes on the transfer but spend roughly the same total time in transit. The deciding factor is which Crown Heights station is closer to where you're starting from: if you're near Utica and Eastern Parkway, the 3 is right there; if you're near the western edge of the neighborhood along Nostrand, the A/C is easier.
Late-night return trips are slower. After a night game that ends around ten-thirty, the 7 train back to Manhattan runs every fifteen minutes, and the platform empties in waves, so expect to stand. The 3 train from Times Square to Brooklyn drops to every twenty minutes after eleven, and the A runs every twelve to fifteen. If the game goes into extra innings or you stay for the final out and the crowd's exit, you're looking at a midnight arrival back in Crown Heights. Plan for that when you're deciding whether to go on a Friday or a Sunday.
What the evening costs, start to finish
A weekend game ticket in the outfield sections starts at thirty-five dollars; add another fifteen to twenty if you want a closer row or a weekend promotional giveaway game. Subway fare is $2.90 each way, so $5.80 round trip per person. Food inside Citi Field runs stadium prices: a hot dog and soda will cost fourteen dollars, and if you want a beer and a sandwich, budget thirty. Bringing a sealed plastic water bottle and a small snack in a clear bag is allowed and cuts that cost in half. All in, a solo trip with a ticket, transit and modest food runs about seventy to eighty dollars. A couple going together and eating a full meal at the stadium should expect to spend close to one hundred sixty.
If you're planning to eat before the game instead of inside, the blocks around Mets-Willets Point don't offer much. There's a small food court inside the nearby mall, but it's a ten-minute walk from the subway exit and doesn't save you meaningful money or time. Better to eat in Crown Heights before you leave—Franklin Avenue has several quick spots—or grab something at Times Square during your transfer, where the underground Shake Shack or a slice place will fill you up for less than stadium pricing and keep you on schedule.
Parking at Citi Field costs twenty-five to forty dollars depending on the lot, and driving from Crown Heights on a weekend means the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which clogs reliably near the Kosciuszko Bridge, or the surface streets through Bed-Stuy and Ridgewood, which take forty-five minutes under good conditions and longer if there's a street fair or construction. You'll spend more on gas and parking than two people would spend on subway fare, and you'll sit in exit traffic for thirty minutes after the game. The subway makes more sense unless you're traveling with three or more people or have mobility concerns that make the train impractical.
What to confirm before you leave Crown Heights
Check the Mets' schedule on their official site to confirm Arizona is in town, then verify the start time. Weekend day games usually begin at one-ten, while night games start at seven-ten, but national broadcasts and promotional events shift those times. Look up the starting lineups an hour before first pitch; both teams post them on their apps and social accounts. If Randal Grichuk isn't starting, decide whether you still want to make the trip—he may pinch-hit or enter for defense late, but there's no guarantee.
Check MTA service advisories the morning of the game. The 3 and the 7 both run weekend maintenance routinely, and the A/C line frequently reroutes through different tunnels or runs local-only service. If your planned route is affected, the MTA site will list alternate trains and shuttle bus segments. Add twenty minutes to your expected travel time if a shuttle is involved. Weather matters too: Citi Field is open-air, and summer thunderstorms in New York City cause delays or postponements. The Mets announce rain delays on their site and app, usually an hour before the scheduled start. If the forecast shows storms, check the status before you board the train.
Bring a mobile ticket; Citi Field stopped accepting printed tickets several seasons ago. Your phone needs enough battery to display the barcode at the gate and last through the game if you want to check replays or the train schedule afterward. A portable charger is worth carrying. The stadium allows small bags—nothing larger than sixteen by sixteen by eight inches—and they must be clear plastic or an approved style. A drawstring bag or a gallon freezer bag works. Security checks every bag at the gate, and the line moves slowly when the crowd is large, so arrive early enough that a ten-minute wait won't make you miss the anthem.
Know your exit plan. If you're taking the 3 back to Crown Heights, walk toward the front of the 7 train when you board at Mets-Willets Point so you're near the stairs when you transfer at Times Square. If you're taking the A, position yourself toward the middle of the train for the West Fourth exit. Late-night service means longer waits, and the later you leave the stadium, the longer you'll stand on the platform. Leaving in the eighth inning saves you twenty minutes of exit crowding, but you'll miss the end of the game. That trade-off is yours to make.
Practical notes
- Confirm Arizona's series dates and start times on the Mets' official schedule before planning your trip
- Check starting lineups one hour before first pitch on the team app or MLB site
- Allow 75–90 minutes travel time from Crown Heights to Citi Field; add 20 minutes if weekend service advisories list delays
- Tickets in right-field sections (136–142) start around $35; bring a mobile ticket and a clear bag
- Subway fare is $5.80 round trip; stadium food runs $14–$30 depending on what you order
- Check MTA service changes and weather forecasts the morning of the game
Tags: #karpo #randalgrichuk #newyorkcity #citifield #crownheights #weekendplans #metsbaseball #nycsubway #queensny #flushingny #baseballinnyc #diamondbacks #mlbgames #nycweekend #sevenlocalexpress
Sources consulted: New York Mets official schedule · MTA service changes · Citi Field bag policy and entry rules
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Ask Karpo first
Text Karpo the day of the game and ask for the current starting lineup, the cleanest subway route from your cross-streets in Crown Heights, and whether the 3 or the 7 has any active delays. Karpo will check the live MTA feed and build you a timed route that gets you to Mets-Willets Point with enough margin to clear security and reach your seat before first pitch.
