{"id":5388,"date":"2023-05-26T18:29:14","date_gmt":"2023-05-27T01:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=5388"},"modified":"2023-05-26T18:29:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-27T01:29:14","slug":"diamondbacks-report-phillies-red-sox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2023\/05\/26\/diamondbacks-report-phillies-red-sox\/","title":{"rendered":"Diamondbacks Report: Two of Three from Phillies; Three with Red Sox Next"},"content":{"rendered":"

Diamondbacks Report: Two of Three from Phillies, Red Sox Next<\/h2>\n

PHOENIX, May 26 \u2014 The Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> (29\u201321), second place in the NL West and 1 1\/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> (31\u201320) after taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies<\/a> (23\u201327), open a ten-game homestand Friday. It begins with a three-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox<\/a> (26\u201324) in an interleague series. This edition of Diamondbacks Report will briefly review the Phillies series before previewing the key details of the three games with the Red Sox.<\/p>\n

Diamondbacks \u2013 Phillies Series Summary<\/h3>\n

In Game One, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.<\/a><\/strong> went 4-for-4 with two RBI, falling a triple short of the cycle to lead the way. Geraldo Perdomo<\/a><\/strong> added a two-run double, and Pavin Smith<\/a><\/strong> added a solo homer to lead the Diamondbacks to a 6\u20133 victory. Tommy Henry<\/a><\/strong> notched the victory, with scoreless relief from Miguel Castro<\/a><\/strong>, Kyle Nelson<\/a><\/strong>, and Andrew Chafin<\/a><\/strong> preserving the lead.<\/p>\n

Game Two saw a terrific effort from Ryne Nelson<\/a><\/strong>, who allowed one run on three hits in six innings, walking none and striking out four. The lead vanished when Kyle Nelson and Jose Ruiz<\/a><\/strong> had a rough seventh inning. But a leadoff double by Gurriel in the eighth, a walk by Christian Walker<\/a><\/strong>, and an RBI single by Corbin Carroll<\/a><\/strong> re-took the lead. Andrew Chafin, Scott McGough<\/a><\/strong>, and Miguel Castro combined for two innings of scoreless relief to slam the door on a 4\u20133 victory.<\/p>\n

A Missed Opportunity to Sweep<\/h4>\n

Game Three saw a taxed pitching staff. Zac Gallen<\/a><\/strong> pitched well but took 100 pitches to get through 5 2\/3 innings. He left with a 5\u20130 lead, but bequeathed two runners to Ginkel. Two singles and a throwing error by Dominic Fletcher<\/a><\/strong> led to both inherited runners scoring, and a third runner score an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth. Ginkel and Scott McGough combined for a scoreless seventh and eighth to keep the Diamondbacks ahead, 5\u20133.<\/p>\n

Jose Ruiz, acting as the closer with the unavailability of Chafin and Castro, coughed up a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth. It wouldn\u2019t have mattered if not for the following hitter, Trea Turner<\/a><\/strong>, who belted a game-tying home run. The tenth was an even bigger mess, as two walks \u2014 the first being intentional \u2014 loaded the bases for Bohm, whose walk-off single gave the Phillies the win. Especially frustrating for the Diamondbacks was their inability to score any runs off the Phillies relievers.<\/p>\n

Diamondbacks and Red Sox Storylines<\/h3>\n

The Diamondbacks, led by manager Torey Lovullo<\/a><\/strong>, have won seven of their last ten and nine of their past twelve, and 16 of their past 25. They have the third-best record in the National League. Scoring is their strength, being third in the NL in runs per game with 5.14. The biggest area that needs improvement is performance from starting pitchers not named \u201cZac\u201d or \u201cMerrill.\u201d In addition, their relievers need to get their WHIP down \u2014 in other words, give up fewer baserunners \u2014 and reduce the amount of inherited runners that score.<\/p>\n

The Red Sox, led by manager Alex Cora<\/a><\/strong>, have lost 10 of their last 15. They are currently mired in a four-game skid. Like the Diamondbacks, scoring runs is not a problem, as they are third in the AL in runs scored per game. Pitching is their problem, as both their starters and relievers have trouble keeping runs off the board. Despite their fourth place standing in the AL East, their 26\u201324 record is the same as the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins<\/a>. Given how bunched up the whole division is behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>, the Red Sox need to start winning series in order to keep pace.<\/p>\n

Pitching Matchups between the Diamondbacks and Red Sox<\/h3>\n

Game One \u2014 Friday, May 26, 6:40 pm Arizona Time<\/h4>\n

Game One is a matchup between the oft-injured Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale<\/a><\/strong> (4\u20132, 5.01 ERA, 112 ERA-minus) and Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt<\/a><\/strong> (0\u20131, 7.65 ERA, 174 ERA-minus).<\/p>\n

In Sale\u2019s nine appearances, all starts with five as a quality start, he has struck out 62, walked 13, and has a 1.172 WHIP across 50 1\/3 innings. On average, he pitches 5 2\/3 innings per start and gets about 4 1\/2 runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .238 against him, six points lower than the AL average of .244. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sale<\/td>\n1.172<\/td>\n29.0%<\/td>\n6.1%<\/td>\n3.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.292<\/em><\/td>\n22.9%<\/em><\/td>\n8.6%<\/em><\/td>\n3.1%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

In Pfaadt\u2019s four appearances, all starts with four as a quality start, he has struck out 14, walked eight, and has a 1.550 WHIP across 20 innings. On average, he pitches five innings per start and gets about four runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .291 against him, 40 points higher than the NL average of .251. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the NL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pfaadt<\/td>\n1.550<\/td>\n15.9%<\/td>\n9.1%<\/td>\n8.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.341<\/em><\/td>\n22.5%<\/em><\/td>\n8.9%<\/em><\/td>\n3.0%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Matchups with Current Rosters<\/h5>\n

Sale has never started a game against the Diamondbacks. He made one relief appearance against them back in 2011 while with the Chicago White Sox<\/a>, tossing the third out of the seventh inning in a 4\u20131 Diamondbacks victory.<\/p>\n

Three Diamondbacks on the active roster have faced Sale, all former American Leaguers. Two played in the AL East with him. Evan Longoria<\/a><\/strong> faced him 39 times while with the Tampa Bay Rays. Longoria is 6-for-38 with a double, three RBI, a walk, and 15 strikeouts. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the former Toronto Blue Jay<\/a>, is 3-for-18 with a double, a homer, two RBI, and seven strikeouts. The last Diamondback to face Sale did so while with the Seattle Mariners<\/a> \u2014 Ketel Marte<\/a><\/strong>. Marte is 1-for-6 with a strikeout.<\/p>\n

Pfaadt has neither faced the Red Sox nor faced any player on their active roster in his brief major league career.<\/p>\n

Game Two \u2014 Saturday, May 27, 4:15 pm Arizona Time<\/h4>\n

Game Two features Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock<\/a><\/strong> (1\u20132, 6.19 ERA, 138 ERA-minus). Whitlock, as of Friday morning, is not on the active roster but will be recalled to make this start. The same is true about Zach Davies<\/a><\/strong> (0\u20130, 5.79 ERA, 132 ERA-minus), who \u2014 it was confirmed pregame \u2014 will return from the injured list and start for the Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n

In Whitlock\u2019s three appearances, all starts with one as a quality start, he has struck out 11, walked three, and has a 1.375 WHIP across 16 innings. On average, he pitches 5 1\/3 innings per start and gets about two runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .311 against him, 67 points higher than the AL average of .244. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whitlock<\/td>\n1.375<\/td>\n16.9%<\/td>\n4.6%<\/td>\n6.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.292<\/em><\/td>\n22.9%<\/em><\/td>\n8.6%<\/em><\/td>\n3.1%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Note: The Davies sample size is extremely small, so take these with a grain of salt.)<\/em> In Davies\u2019 two appearances, both starts with neither as a quality start, he has struck out seven, walked six, and has a 1.607 WHIP across 9 1\/3 innings. On average, he has pitched 4 2\/3 innings per start and received about seven runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .257 against him, six points higher than the NL average of .251. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the NL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Davies<\/td>\n1.607<\/td>\n16.7%<\/td>\n14.3%<\/td>\n4.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.341<\/em><\/td>\n22.5%<\/em><\/td>\n8.9%<\/em><\/td>\n3.0%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Matchups with Current Rosters<\/h5>\n

Whitlock has never faced the Diamondbacks in his career. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the only active Diamondback to have ever faced him, is 2-for-5 with two strikeouts.<\/p>\n

Davies, a career National Leaguer, has never faced the Red Sox. Four players on the current Red Sox roster, all former NL West foes, have faced Davies. Turner, including the postseason, is 10-for-29 with two homers, five RBI, and four strikeouts. Tapia is 1-for-9 with a triple and a strikeout. Hernandez is 1-for-8 with two strikeouts. Verdugo has only faced him once, coming away with a pinch-single.<\/p>\n

Game Three \u2014 Sunday, May 28, 1:10 pm Arizona Time<\/h4>\n

Game Three pits a pair of righties \u2014 Tanner Houck<\/a><\/strong> of the Red Sox (3\u20133, 4.99 ERA, 112 ERA-minus) and Merrill Kelly<\/a><\/strong> of the Diamondbacks (5\u20133, 2.98 ERA, 68 ERA-minus).<\/p>\n

In Houck\u2019s nine appearances, all starts with two as a quality start, he has struck out 46, walked 17, and has a 1.253 WHIP across 48 2\/3 innings. On average, he pitches 5 1\/3 innings per start and gets about 5 1\/3 runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .242 against him, two points lower than the AL average of .244. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the AL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Houck<\/td>\n1.253<\/td>\n22.6%<\/td>\n8.3%<\/td>\n2.5%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.292<\/em><\/td>\n22.9%<\/em><\/td>\n8.6%<\/em><\/td>\n3.1%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

In Kelly\u2019s ten appearances, all starts with five as a quality start, he has struck out 59, walked 23, and has a 1.081 WHIP across 57 1\/3 innings. On average, he pitches 5 2\/3 innings per start and gets about three runs of support per nine innings from his team while he\u2019s in the game. Opponents are batting .194 against him, 57 points lower than the NL average of .251. The following table compares his percentages and his WHIP to the NL average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nWHIP<\/td>\nK%<\/td>\nBB%<\/td>\nHR%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kelly<\/td>\n1.081<\/td>\n26.0%<\/td>\n10.1%<\/td>\n2.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NL Average<\/em><\/td>\n1.341<\/em><\/td>\n22.5%<\/em><\/td>\n8.9%<\/em><\/td>\n3.0%<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Matchups with Current Rosters<\/h5>\n

Houck has never faced the Diamondbacks in his career. The only Diamondback on the active roster to have faced him is Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., who is 0-for-4 with one strikeout.<\/p>\n

Kelly has faced the Red Sox once \u2014 his second major league start, back on April 7, 2019. He was terrific, scattering four hits across eight innings while striking out nine and walking none. His lone run allowed came on a seventh-inning Mitch Moreland<\/a><\/strong> home run. Ultimately, the Diamondbacks lost, 1\u20130, due to an incredible lack of baserunners (four in the entire game).<\/p>\n

Six current Red Sox have faced Kelly, three former Dodgers \u2014 Justin Turner<\/a><\/strong>, Enrique Hernandez<\/a><\/strong>, and Alex Verdugo<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 and one \u2014 Raimel Tapia<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 who is a former member of the Colorado Rockies<\/a>. Turner is 9-for-23 with two doubles, two RBI, four strikeouts, and a sacrifice fly. Tapia \u2014 a perpetual thorn in the Diamondbacks\u2019 side \u2014 is 7-for-15 with a double and three RBI. Hernandez is 1-for-8 with two strikeouts. The remaining Red Sox to have faced Kelly are Rafael Devers<\/a><\/strong>, 0-for-3 with a strikeout; Verdugo, 0-for-3; and Pablo Reyes<\/a><\/strong>, 0-for-1.<\/p>\n

Reliever Comparisons<\/h3>\n

Red Sox<\/h4>\n

The Red Sox have eight relievers currently active. All pitchers are right-handed unless followed by (L).<\/p>\n

Long relief<\/h5>\n