Diamondbacks Report: Three of Four from Giants; Three with Athletics Next

• May 15, 2023

Diamondbacks Report: Three of Four from Giants, Athletics Next

The Arizona Diamondbacks (23–18), second place in the NL West and three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (26–15) after taking three of four from the San Francisco Giants (17–23), begin a nine-game road trip Monday. Their first stop is in the East Bay, where they will face the hapless Oakland Athletics (9–33). In this edition of Diamondbacks Report, we will briefly review the Giants series before previewing the key details of the three games with the Athletics.

Diamondbacks – Giants Series Summary

The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks, 6–2, in the first game of the series. Giants starter Alex Cobb was the story in this game, as he scattered seven hits across 7 1/3 scoreless innings, walking two while striking out three. More coverage here.

In Game Two, Dominic Fletcher went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, and four RBI to lead the Diamondbacks to a 7–5 victory. Evan Longoria added a solo home run as well, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. adding a 2-for-4, one RBI effort.

Game Three saw another big day for Dominic Fletcher, who went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, and five RBI. In addition, Zac Gallen tossed 7 2/3 innings of five-hit ball, walking two and striking out six while allowing two earned runs. The Diamondbacks prevailed, 7–2. More coverage here.

Game Four was a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel. Starting pitchers Brandon Pfaadt and Logan Webb each allowed one earned run. The difference came in the bottom of the ninth, when Christian Walker drew a leadoff walk and scored on a walk-off double by the next hitter, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. In the end, the Diamondbacks triumphed, 2–1. More coverage here.

Diamondbacks and Athletics Storylines

The Diamondbacks have played 13 series so far in 2023, losing only three — both series to the Miami Marlins and their home series against the San Diego Padres. Of the remaining ten, they won seven and split three. Only once has the team lost more than two games in a row, that coming May 9 to 11 when they dropped two to the Marlins and one to the Giants. Despite their success, they fell out of first place May 1 and have remained in second thanks to the red-hot Dodgers winning 13 of their last 15 games. With the Diamondbacks playing the worst team in the majors record-wise, this is a good chance to gain some ground on the Dodgers, who are playing a division leader.

The Athletics have had a disastrous season already, and we’re only six weeks into it. Their 9–33 record is below the pace set by the 1962 New York Mets, whose 40–120 record was the worst in the modern era. This club has lost seven of its past eight, 15 of its past 20, and 24 of its past 30. In addition, news keeps surfacing of land purchase agreements in Las Vegas, Nevada, putting the club’s future in Oakland, where they have been since 1968, in serious jeopardy. Attendance has been abysmal. A series win here would get them a few steps toward respectability but would be insignificant in the long-term season narrative. In fact, it would be more negative for the Diamondbacks than positive for the Athletics.

Pitching Matchups between the Diamondbacks and Athletics

Game One — Monday, May 15, 6:40 pm Arizona Time

Game One is a matchup between Athletics right-hander Drew Rucinski (0–3, 8.16 ERA, 200 ERA-minus) and Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly (3–3, 3.18 ERA, 73 ERA-minus).

In Rucinski’s three appearances, all starts with none as a quality start, he has struck out six, walked nine, and has a 2.093 WHIP across 14 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .339 against him, 96 points higher than the AL average of .243. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.

In Kelly’s eight appearances, all starts with four as a quality start, he has struck out 46, walked 20, and has a 1.147 WHIP across 45 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .204 against him, 46 points lower than the NL average of .250. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the NL average.

Matchups with Current Rosters

Drew Rucinski has never faced the Diamondbacks as a starter. Only one current Diamondback has ever faced him — Evan Longoria, who is 1-for-1 with a single.

Merrill Kelly has one career start against the Athletics. This came in Oakland August 19, 2020, when he allowed four earned runs on five hits with two walks, seven strikeouts, and a home run over five innings. Five current Athletics have faced him in the regular season. Jace Peterson is 2-for-4 with a strikeout. Jesus Aguilar is 2-for-3 with a double. Ramon Laureano is 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. The other two Athletics to face Kelly are Aledmys Diaz (0-for-2, 2 K) and Tony Kemp (0-for-2, 1 K).

Game Two — Tuesday, May 16, 6:40 pm Arizona Time

Game Two features a battle of lefties, Kyle Muller (1–3, 7.34 ERA, 180 ERA-minus) for the Athletics and Tommy Henry (1–1, 4.43 ERA, 102 ERA-minus) of the Diamondbacks.

In Muller’s eight appearances, all starts with none as a quality start, he has struck out 27, walked 21, and has a 1.947 WHIP across 38 innings. Opponents are batting .340 against him, 97 points higher than the AL average of .243. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.

In Henry’s four appearances, all starts with two as a quality start, he has struck out nine, walked nine, and has a 1.388 WHIP across 22 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .265 against him, 15 points higher than the NL average of .250. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the NL average.

Matchups with Current Rosters

Muller has never started against the Diamondbacks, and Henry has never started against the Athletics. In addition, no player on either team’s current roster has faced the respective opposing starter for this game.

Game Three — Wednesday, May 17, 12:37 pm Arizona Time

Game Three pits rookie Athletics right-hander Luis Medina (0–2, 8.18 ERA, 200 ERA-minus) against another rookie, Diamondbacks Ryne Nelson (1–2, 6.20 ERA, 143 ERA-minus).

In Medina’s two appearances, both starts with one as a quality start, he has struck out nine, walked three, and has a 1.455 WHIP across 11 innings. Opponents are batting .277 against him, 34 points higher than the AL average of .243. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.

In Nelson’s eight appearances, all starts with two as a quality start, he has struck out 26, walked 11, and has a 1.549 WHIP across 40 2/3 innings. Opponents are batting .319 against him, 69 points higher than the NL average of .250. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the [league] average.

Matchups with Current Rosters

This pairing is like Game Two. It will be the first career start for both starting pitchers against the respective opponent. Furthermore, no active player on either team has faced the scheduled opposing starting pitcher for this game.

Reliever Comparisons

Athletics

The Athletics have eight relievers currently active. All pitchers are right-handed unless followed by (L). IR = inherited runners; IS = inherited runners scored.

Long relief

• Adrian Martinez — 6 GR, 17 1/3 IP, 6 IR/2 IS (33%), 1.385 WHIP, 18.9 K%, 6.8 BB%, 4.1 HR%.

Middle relief

• Sam Long (L) — 7 GR, 9 IP, 6 IR/1 IS (17%), 1.222 WHIP, 18.9 K%, 10.8 BB%, 0.0 HR%.
• Shintaro Fujinami — 7 GR, 23 2/3 IP, 4 IR/1 IS (25%), 2.028 WHIP, 17.2 K%, 17.2 BB%, 2.5 HR%.
• Austin Pruitt — 6 GR, 6 IP, 6 IR/3 IS (50%), 2.000 WHIP, 16.7 K%, 10.0 BB%, 3.3 HR%.
• Sam Moll (L) — 19 GR, 14 IP, 16 IR/5 IS (31%), 1.143 WHIP, 20.0 K%, 16.7 BB%, 0.0 HR%.

Set-up

• Richard Lovelady (L) — 11 GR, 9 2/3 IP, 4 IR/1 IS (25%), 1.241 WHIP, 22.0 K%, 12.2 BB%, 2.4 HR%, 0/1 SV/OPP.
• Garrett Acton — 1 GR, 1 2/3 IP, 2 IR/0 IS (0%), 0.000 WHIP, 40.0 K%, 0.0 BB%, 0.0 HR%, 0/0 SV/OPP.

Closer

• Zach Jackson — 18 GR, 17 1/3 IP, 6 IR/2 IS (33%), 1.558 WHIP, 28.6 K%, 13.0 BB%, 1.3 HR%, 1/2 SV/OPP.

The Athletics relievers on the active roster have pitched a combined 75 games in relief (GR). Of the 75, 52 have been scoreless — 69.3%, tenth in the American League, whose active roster average is 71.2% and overall average is 68.5%. Here is the scoreless percentage (ScOtg%) for each reliever on the active roster, as of Monday afternoon.

Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have seven relievers currently active. All pitchers are right-handed unless followed by (L). IR = inherited runners; IS = inherited runners scored.

Long relief

None.

Middle relief

• Jose Ruiz — 12 GR, 15 IP, 2 IR/1 IS (50%), 1.133 WHIP, 27.4 K%, 3.2 BB%, 3.2 HR%.
• Anthony Misiewicz (L) — 6 GR, 6 2/3 IP, 1 IR/0 IS (0%), 1.500 WHIP, 13.8 K%, 10.3 BB%, 0.0 HR%.
• Kevin Ginkel — 16 GR, 16 1/3 IP, 6 IR/2 IS (33%), 1.286 WHIP, 16.2 K%, 10.3 BB%, 1.5 HR%.
• Kyle Nelson (L) — 18 GR, 15 2/3 IP, 15 IR/3 IS (20%), 1.340 WHIP, 27.9 K%, 7.4 BB%, 1.5 HR%.

Set-up

• Scott McGough — 20 GR, 19 2/3 IP, 6 IR/0 IS (0%), 0.915 WHIP, 23.4 K%, 6.5 BB%, 6.5 HR%, 1/4 SV/OPP.
• Miguel Castro — 19 GR, 17 2/3 IP, 7 IR/3 IS (43%), 1.019 WHIP, 21.1 K%, 7.0 BB%, 1.4 HR%, 2/3 SV/OPP.

Closer

• Andrew Chafin (L) — 19 GR, 15 IP, 12 IR/7 IS (58%), 1.333 WHIP, 36.9 K%, 7.7 BB%, 3.1 HR%, 5/7 SV/OPP.

The Diamondbacks relievers on the active roster have pitched a combined 110 games in relief (GR). Of the 110, 83 have been scoreless — 75.5%, sixth in the National League, whose active roster average is 73.0% and overall average is 69.7%. Here is the scoreless percentage (ScOtg%) for each reliever on the active roster, as of Monday afternoon.

Lineup Comparisons

Here is each team’s typical lineup against right-handed starters. wRAA = Weighted Runs Above Average

Athletics

Diamondbacks

Here is each team’s typical lineup against left-handed starters.

Athletics

Diamondbacks

Recent History between the Diamondbacks and Athletics

The Diamondbacks and Athletics have faced each other in four of the last ten seasons. In all but one of the seasons, the Athletics won the season series — 2015 (2–1 in Phoenix), 2018 (2–1 in Oakland), and 2021 (4–0, two in each city). The Diamondbacks and Athletics split their season series in 2020, 2–2, with the home team winning each game.

Schedules for the Rest of their Divisions

AL West Slate for the First Half of the Week

All five AL West teams have interdivisional or interleague matchups for the first half of the week. The division-leading Texas Rangers (25–15) host the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves (25–15). In a former NL Central matchup, the Houston Astros (21–19) play host to the Chicago Cubs (19–21, third in NL Central). The Seattle Mariners (20–20) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (22–19, fifth in AL East), while the Los Angeles Angels (21–20) have a road series against the Baltimore Orioles (26–14, second in AL East). Of these series, the only four-gamer is the Angels–Orioles series. The other series will be three games each.

NL West Slate for the First Half of the Week

Every NL West team is hosting an opponent from outside the division. The Dodgers have an interleague matchup with the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins (23–18). In San Diego, the third-place Padres (19–22) play host to the Kansas City Royals (12–30), who are last in the AL Central. The fourth-place Giants host the Philadelphia Phillies (20–20), while the fifth-place Colorado Rockies (17–24) face the Cincinnati Reds (18–22), fourth in the NL Central. Every series will be a three-gamer.

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