Well, it can’t be worse than last night. Can it?
Well, I’m glad I was just lurking in last night’s GDT and not quoting Win Probability to anyone. 🙂 There have been some startling losses in this season, to the point that I am seriously considering having a “Loss of the Year” category when it comes time for our end of year awards. There would certainly be some fierce competition. If my BR search is correct, it was the twelfth time this year the Diamondbacks have lost a game where they previously had the lead at some point. That is tied with the Athletics for the major-league lead. The median number of such losses is seven, so if Arizona were simply there, they’d be five games better off, with a record of 32-23.
They now find themselves in another rubber game, and staring down the barrel of Paul Skenes, if they want to avoid losing a series at home to the second-worst team in the National League. That isn’t quite as daunting a prospect as it might seem: the Pirates are only 4-7 in his eleven starts so far this year. That’s mostly due to a lack of run support. Across the seven defeats, Pittsburgh have scored a total of just fourteen runs. Can Zac Gallen deliver something along those lines? It would be a huge improvement on his outings of late: across his last three starts, he has allowed 21 hits and 8 walks over 16.1 innings, conceding fourteen earned runs. Those Lamborghinis aren’t going to buy themselves, Zac.
Still no Ketel Marte in the line-up this afternoon, since he is still feeling flu-like. Jordan Lawlar gets the start at second, still looking for his first hit of the year to break a current 0-for-16 slide. That isn’t particularly terrible in the greater scheme of things. Just this year, Jake McCarthy went 0-for-24 before getting his first hit. But given the expectations on Lawlar, as Arizona’s top prospect, it’s certainly fair to say he has not met them yet at the plate. Though his defense has been very good, as we saw last night. But the sooner that first hit comes, the sooner everyone – not least Jordan himself – will be able to breathe easy and get on with things.
Finally, this is interesting, and presented without further comment.
Brent Strom is back in the building. pic.twitter.com/FWOAKnglYI
— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) May 28, 2025