#ReleaseTheBats The D-backs have had a problem against right-handed pitching, and see more of it tonight.
So far, the Diamondbacks sit 14th in the major-leagues by OPS, a rank not dissimilar from the 17th spot where they were last year (offense generally is down, incidentally. The MLB average OPS is just .706, compared to .726 for April 2023, with HR in particular being at their lowest level since 2014). However, that middle-of-the-pack figure conceals a drastic split in team offense for the D-backs. They have been teeing off on left-handed pitching, where Arizona rank 4th, with an .802 OPS. However, against right-handers, they plummet all the way down to 24th, with a .659 OPS. It’s the reverse of what was seen in 2023, when they ranked 22nd and 14th respectively.
On an individual level against RHP, a couple of names stand out, at opposite ends of the chart. Doing surprisingly well is Christian Walker, who has all three of his homers off right-handed pitching, and sports a team-best .894 OPS there. With a .292 BABIP, that might not be unsustainable. However, at the other end is Corbin Carroll. Last year, he torched right-handed pitching to a .922 OPS on his way to a unanimous Rookie of the Year win. But this season, his line against them over 43 PA is a dismal .111/.256/.194 for a .450 OPS – less than half of what he did in 2023. His plate discipline is fine – 4:7 K:BB – but it’s the 4-for-36 which hurts. Hopefully it’s just a small sample size + BABIP situation. Something to watch though.