Let’s play 2! Er, well: one and 11/54, or thereabouts…
D-backs line-up
Well, this unexpected “double-header” certainly sends a spanner in the works for your regular SnakePit scheduling. I won’t be posting this until after the completion of the first game, so there won’t be the usual hour between this and the Gameday Thread. The forecast shows rain likely up until about 5:30 pm, so at the time of writing, it’s not quite certain whether that may end up getting delayed. I imagine they’ll do all they can to get both games in tonight. Teams do get to add an additional man to the roster for the situation. Humberto Castellanos, who is on the 40 man roster and on the Taxi Squad for this road trip, will be the designated 27th man. He can be used in the regularly scheduled game only.
That will see Merrill Kelly try to right the ship. He had an ERA of 6.75 in his first start, and sadly, it has only gone up from there, now sitting at 8.44. His BABIP of .339 seems high, but a lot of that is probably due to his line-drive rate of 35%. There has been a lot of hard contact, Kelly giving up four home-runs in sixteen innings. He did get the win last time, but that was more due to Patrick Corbin’s failings. Kelly became the seventh D-backs pitcher in the last decade to allow 6+ earned runs and still get the win. Robbie Ray was the last such, on August 5 last year. Kelly did it himself previously, on August 12, 2019. But that was in Coors Field, so likely deserves an asterisk!
Torey Lovullo notes
- Pavin Smith will continue to get chances in the lead-off spot in Tim Locastro’s absence, depending on the match-ups.
- He thinks game 2 lineup tonight will be similar to game 1.
- Andrew Young’s homer last night was hitt 116 MPH exit velocity and just 17 degree launch angle, traveling 414 feet. The hang time was just 4.1 seconds. I asked Torey if he’s earning some more playing time, and specifically maybe some more time at 2b against left hand pitching. Torey said it’s a fair question and acknowledged that’s his most familiar position, but would not commit to the idea publicly.
Injury Updates:
- Ketel Marte: He’s doing forward running with focus on running mechanics. This is more than he was doing in the pool. He’s also had a throwing program, he’s taken BP on the field. He’s going to have live AB’s today against Joakim Soria who’s going to face live hitters for the first time since going on the IL with a calf injury.
- Christian Walker took light swings, he’s running, taking ground balls, and also throwing. All pain free.
- Tim Locastro is just doing very light conditioning. He still has stitches in his finger and can’t get those dirty or infected and they’re trying to minimize sweat in the area of the hand.