The Diamondbacks have a chance to leave San Diego with a split, but the mood around the series has shifted fast.
Arizona opened the four-game set with an 8-0 win on Monday night, then watched things turn sour in a hurry. A loss tonight would send the D-backs into a three-game losing streak heading into Dodger Stadium, where they’ll face the team with the best record in the majors.
The Dodgers, as things stand, are on pace for 105 wins and a division title by 24 games. That would be the biggest margin since MLB expanded to 30 teams in 1998. The Indians won the AL Central by thirty in 1995 in a shortened 144-game season, which may or may not make that comparison feel better.
For Arizona, the immediate task is simpler: get one more win and walk away with a road split. That’s no small thing in a four-game series, and it would be a result plenty of people likely would have accepted back on Monday afternoon.
The D-backs are going with Merrill Kelly, who beat the Brewers last time out for his first win in five weeks. He also matched a season high with six strikeouts, so there’s at least a little momentum to work with.
Arizona’s lineup has Ketel Marte at second, Geraldo Perdomo at short, Corbin Carroll in right, Gabriel Moreno behind the plate, Max Kepler at DH, Lourdes Gurriel in left, Nolan Arenado at third, Tommy Troy in center and Tim Tawa at first.
San Diego counters with Fernando Tatis in right, Jackson Merrill in center, Xander Bogaerts at short, Manny Machado at third, Gavin Sheets in left, Jake Cronenworth at first, Luis Campusano catching, Miguel Andujar at DH and Sung-Mun Song at second. Griffin Canning gets the start on the mound.
The Diamondbacks also made roster moves, and their 40-man roster is at 40. The move was framed as simple roster management, with Cabrera’s rotation spot not coming up again before the All-Star break, making it a chance to use that slot on an extra bullpen arm.
The next need for a fifth starter would come Tuesday, July 21, though there’s a complication: a pitcher can’t be recalled for 15 days, which means Arizona would need another option for that start. Michael Soroka could be one possibility if he’s ready by then, though there hasn’t been much recent word on his rehab.
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The Diamondbacks have had a close view of Rodriguez for a long time, which made his rise this season feel especially meaningful around the organization. Torey Lovullo and Mike Hazen both know him well, and Lovullo was the one who delivered the news when Rodriguez was named an All-Star, a moment that carried extra weight because of how long their paths have crossed. Arizona has seen plenty of Rodriguezs game over the years, but this version, sharpened by the WBC and rewarded with a first trip to the Midsummer Classic, has given the club another reason to feel good about where his season is headed. [Read more 🡒]