Hey, we can still win the series…
Roster move
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:
- Recalled OF Nick Heath from Triple-A Reno.
- Designated RHP Stefan Crichton for assignment.
Crichton now becomes just another ex-future closer for the Diamondbacks. He took the role last year, after Archie Bradley was dealt, and performed very well. He went 5-for-5 in save opportunities after getting the job, and had a 2.42 ERA for the year. This season? Not so much. Though let’s face it, nobody has got a save for the D-backs this month. But Crichton’s ERA has ballooned to north of six (6.04), and even if he has been a bit unlucky, his FIP of 4.86 is still close to a run and a half worse than what it was last season. He has walked almost as many (12) as he has struck out (15), and with hitters batting .315 against him, that’s a recipe for disaster. We’ll see if he makes it through waivers or not.
Last time out, Caleb Smith delivered a rare animal for the Diamondbacks this season: a quality start. They were already an endangered species last season, where over the sixty starts, only two starters managed to throw one (Zac Gallen had nine and Merrill Kelly four). They have continued at about the same rate this year, with 17 of them through the first 75 games. That’s a 22.7% percentage, compared to 21.7% in 2020. Kelly has led the way with five, with three by Madison Bumgarner, and a trio of men with two apiece. Length has been the major issue in both campaigns, The D-backs’ starters averaged 4.86 innings per start last year, and the figure this year is almost identical, at 4.85.
Torey Lovullo notes
- Ketel Marte is feeling good, no pain, very little discomfort. As Torey said last night, no imaging required.
- I asked him if the move to recall Nick Heath might mean Ketel spends some more time on the infield dirt, and he said they haven’t discussed that. I followed up to ask him if he felt playing outfield and the extra running required contributes to Ketel’s hamstring injuries. While he didn’t rule it out as a possibility, he didn’t really believe it was a factor. I tend to agree with him, but felt I should ask the question the way I did as a show of good faith to our site members who feel strongly about this issue.
- Stefan Crichton was out of options, and his mechanics were off, velocity, command, and execution were not what they expect. Torey’s is hopeful he’ll clear waivers.
- Eduardo Escobar is out of lineup again, and once again available off the bench. He’s frustrated not being in there.
- Torey discussed last night’s play in the 6th, and seemed to feel the biggest factor was poor communication between Ahmed and Roja He didn’t specify Rojas by name, but it would have been his job there to alert Nick, and obviously Rojas didn’t see Vogelbach either. Torey talked about the infielders’ internal clocks, how that’s a play you won’t see more than once a season throughout MLB and it’s not something you can prepare for. But he also guaranteed that won’t happen again with these two infielders on the field. (So maybe you CAN prepare for it?)