The Diamondbacks arrive with a crowded bullpen, a thin rotation for the moment, and a lineup that keeps giving the front office something to think about.
Arizona’s active roster sits at 28, with the 40-man roster at 39, after the club made a roster move that has some wondering whether this is the end of Barrosa’s time with the D-backs. He has appeared in 97 of the team’s games this season, but only 34 of those have been starts. Most of his work has come as a pinch-runner or a late-inning defensive replacement, and the decision to move on from the switch-hitter feels unusual.
That move also invites a quick comparison between two Arizona outfielders. One has 159 PA, a .201/.285/.343 line, a .628 OPS, 0.6 bWAR, 0.4 fWAR, and four-plus years of control.
The other has 139 PA, a .214/.273/.317 line, a .591 OPS, -0.5 bWAR, -0.4 fWAR, and 21 games of control. The article leaves it to the reader to sort out who is who, and to wonder why Player B is still occupying a roster spot.
On the pitching side, Arizona is carrying 11 bullpen arms right now and only three starters, which leaves the chart looking long and thin. That setup clearly won’t last. The D-backs need a fourth starter on Monday - Jose Cabrera is a possibility after working a couple of middle innings in the bullpen game against the Phillies - and Corbin Burnes is widely expected back on Tuesday against the Royals.
For tonight, though, the flexibility could matter if Merrill Kelly doesn’t go deep. His last outing looked like a completely different version of him, and Arizona will be watching to see whether that carries over. If it does, maybe Merrill owes the Cubs’ third-base coach an Edible Arrangement.
The scoreboard watching this weekend starts with the Padres, who host the Yankees in San Diego beginning 90 minutes after Arizona’s game. That series is the main one to track, especially with the Padres at home and the D-backs trying to create some breathing room in the standings. Arizona has the top of its rotation lined up in this series, so the hope is that gap can grow a little.
If you’re looking upward instead, the Cubs are in Miami to face the Marlins, and the Phillies are hosting the Braves in another difficult series. Both of those games will already have been going for 50 minutes by the time this is posted.
In Other News...
Dodgers Scrutiny Could Open A Door The Diamondbacks Needed In NL West
A fresh wave of scrutiny around the Dodgers finances has added an unexpected layer to the NL West race, and it has nothing to do with what happens between the lines. Pablo Torres investigation dug into the complicated relationships involving owner Mark Walter, Magic Johnson, EquiTrust and American Media Productions, centering on a $350 million loan and a record-setting TV deal that now have people around baseball asking whether the transactions were properly reviewed and disclosed.
There is no proof of illegal activity in the report, but the possibility of MLB looking more closely at the Dodgers financial structure is enough to matter for the division. If the league decides any penalties are warranted, it could alter some of the competitive advantages that have defined the Dodgers for years, and that is the kind of off-field development the Diamondbacks will be watching as closely as anyone. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Just Put Jorge Barrosas Roster Value To The Test
Tommy Troy is back on the active roster after a stint on the 10-day injured list, and the Diamondbacks made room by designating Jorge Barrosa for assignment. It is the sort of transactional move that can get lost in the shuffle of a long season, but it says plenty about where Arizona stands on the roster hierarchy and how quickly a young player can go from intriguing depth piece to vulnerable name.
Barrosa has already burned through his minor league options, which leaves the club with a narrower path to keep him around if another team takes interest on waivers. His offensive struggles in both the minors and the majors have made this a tough evaluation, and if he clears waivers he would stay in the organization as non-roster depth without the ability to elect free agency. [Read more 🡒]
Former D-Backs Outfielder Just Got Another Shot To Revive His Career
Dominic Fletcher is getting another chance to keep his career moving, this time with the Reds after signing a minor league deal and heading to Triple-A Louisville. For Diamondbacks fans, Fletcher still carries some familiar baggage: he reached the majors with Arizona, where his time as a rookie briefly hinted at a bigger role before he was dealt and moved on to Chicago.
Fletchers path since then has been far less settled, with stops that have included the White Sox and a recent minor league stint with Pittsburgh before he elected free agency and found this new opening. For a player trying to reset his trajectory, Louisville offers a fresh stage and a chance to convince another organization there is still something left to unlock. [Read more 🡒]