The Diamondbacks are back at Chase Field looking to clean up a mess after a rough night, and Brandon Pfaadt is the guy tasked with steadying things against the Cubs.
Arizona’s lineup features Lars Nootbaar leading off as the DH, followed by Corbin Carroll in right field, Gabriel Moreno behind the plate, Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop, Max Kepler in left, Nolan Arenado at third, Tim Tawa at first, Ildemaro Vargas at second and Jordan Lawlar in center field. Pfaadt gets the start on the mound.
Chicago counters with Pete Crow-Armstrong in center, Seiya Suzuki in right, Michael Busch at first, Alex Bregman at third, Ian Happ in left, Nico Hoerner at short, Pedro Ramirez at second, Michael Conforto at DH and Miguel Amaya catching. Clay Holmes is on the hill for the Cubs.
There’s been a little off-field noise around Arizona as well. Merrill Kelly may be back on the top step at the far end of the dugout, staring at the Cubs third-base coach, but Torey Lovullo said he apologized to Craig Counsell today after the earlier spat once he got clarification that the Cubs were within the rules. The adjustment, as Lovullo put it, is on Arizona: “It’s up to us to fix it, and we’re doing that right now.”
Pfaadt’s start also comes with a bit of scoreboard pressure hanging over the night. The Padres and Phillies are both starting at the same time as the Diamondbacks, so there’s plenty of reason to keep one eye elsewhere if Arizona doesn’t take care of business.
Pfaadt’s recent stretch has shown both sides of the story - he had an eight-game homerless run snapped in Boston when he gave up three long balls, though the Diamondbacks still won in extras. He did face the Cubs earlier this season, but that outing was only 2.2 innings in relief, so there’s not much to pull from it.
Arizona will be hoping for a sharper all-around performance this time after a game in which just about everything went sideways.
In Other News...
Merrill Kelly Just Put A Frustrating D-Backs Loss In A New Light
Merrill Kellys postgame comments added a fresh layer to an already frustrating night for the Diamondbacks, one that ended with him allowing three earned runs and five hits. After the game, Kelly pointed to Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry and accused him of relaying signs, drawing a sharp distinction between players trying to pick up information and a coach getting involved.
For Arizona, the issue goes beyond one unpleasant loss. Kelly said sign stealing is part of baseball, but he made clear he does not view a coachs role the same way, which is the kind of complaint that tends to linger well after the final out. It left the Diamondbacks with another layer of irritation to sort through, even as the larger concern remains how to move past a game that felt costly on the field and messier afterward. [Read more 🡒]
Starling Martes Return Carries Big Stakes For Arizonas Playoff Push
Starling Marte is edging closer to rejoining the lineup, and the timing could matter plenty for a Diamondbacks club trying to keep its postseason push on track. Manager Torey Lovullo said Marte is on schedule to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, with a possible return as soon as the series opener against the Phillies after being sidelined by left knee inflammation.
Marte has already been cleared to take batting practice, but Arizona is still proceeding carefully rather than rushing him back. Lovullo made clear the plan is to make sure Marte is healthy and ready to play before putting him back in the mix, a sensible approach with the stretch run tightening and every healthy bat carrying extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Ketel Marte Nears Return As Diamondbacks Face A Bigger Question
Ketel Marte is expected to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, a welcome sign for a Diamondbacks club that has been waiting to get one of its most important hitters back in the mix. Marte landed on the shelf last Thursday because of inflammation in his left knee, and since then he has been rehabbing at Arizonas spring training complex while the team has tried to keep moving without him.
Torey Lovullo confirmed the update and also touched on Martes recent stretch away from the club, which included time on the restricted list for personal reasons before the knee issue added another layer to the absence. For Arizona, the timing matters because Martes return should help stabilize the lineup, even as the larger question remains how quickly he can get back to being the player the Diamondbacks have leaned on so heavily. [Read more 🡒]