The Dodgers aren’t the team to have given the D-backs most trouble in the NL West this year.
2-12 against the Dodgers after last night, gives Arizona a .143 winning percentage. That isn’t quite the worst percentage ever endured by the Diamondbacks against another team in the NL West. But that’s only by the grace of the 2021 D-backs’ being even worse against the Giants this year: 2-14 there. With three games against San Francisco, and five including tonight against Los Angeles, there is still time for things to change. The previous worst was the 3-16 record posted in 2004 against LA, so Arizona need two W’s against both opponents to surpass that, or one to tie it. I would not bet on us managing even one in the final series against the Giants, especially in what looks to be a tight division race.
Over a full 19-game divisional slate, the worst record against Colorado is all the way up at 6-13, again happening in the 2004 campaign. But the D-backs have never managed fewer than seven wins against the Padres over a regular season, going 7-12 in both 2004 and 2013. At the other end, the only time the D-backs have beaten a single opponent fifteen times in the regular season was in 2008, when they drubbed the Rockies in 15 of 18 contests. Colorado are also the only team we’ve beaten fourteen times, a 14-5 record in 2002. Arizona has never been better than 12-7 against San Francisco, hitting that mark in 2017.
Torey Lovullo notes
- Kole Calhoun has had a total of 57 live AB’s, has begun running out of the box, and will begin playing some outfield defense shortly. Torey said that Kole deserves some consideration to get some playing time when he’s ready to come back, but that he still needs to balance that with the need to play younger players for evaluation purposes, and these are some of the “tough conversations” he has to have. He hopes to allow Kole to show he’s healthy and have peace of mind going into the off season. Asked directly if his team option status and getting to perhaps play one last time in front of home town friends and family were a factor, he said no, that he would not make lineup decisions based on that kind of criteria.
- Ketel Marte is getting his first start at 2b tonight. Torey said he wanted to see Jake McCarthy in CF. But also wanted to see Ketel on the infield. He also said that Ketel was giving “subtle hints” about a desire to play on the infield dirt and he’s excited about it, and that he’s listening and in tune with what the guys are talking about in the clubhouse. This is yet one more clear indication that Ketel has a preference and desire to play second base.
- Luke Weaver will be allowed to go 90 + pitches if the situation allows. His first two starts were 79 & 78 pitches. Torey didn’t think he had two innings left in the tank in his previous start, so made the decision to swap one inning of Luke for a chance to score. But tonight, if the situation allows, he will allow Luke to go 90+ pitches.
Torey Lovullo audio [or link]