The easy part of the schedule continues
And on we go. The Diamondbacks took their latest series against the Rockies, 2-1. They overcame a rough start from Gallen, more injuries, and the usual Coors Field BS to pull it off. They sit a game over .500, pretty much completely out of the NL West race and 3.5 games behind San Deigo for the third Wild Card spot. It’s getting late out there, but this is the stretch to make up ground.
Next is one of the few teams in baseball history that can claim to be nearly as bad as the Rockies, the Chicago White Sox. They’re actually a little better than they were last year, winning at a .321 W% versus .253 last season, but they still aren’t great. Coming into this series Chicago is 2-8 in their last ten and sport a run differential of -73. At home they are a bit better than the road, having yet to get to double digit road wins in 2025.
Game 1: 6/23, 4:40PM — Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4, 5.93 ERA, 70 ERA+, 1.61 WHIP) vs. Shane Smith (3-4, 2.85 ERA, 145 ERA+, 1.22 WHIP)
Since he’s returned from the Injured List, Rodriguez has gotten pretty decent results. He’s pitched at least into the fifth inning in all three games, hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of them. The walks got a little high in his last game against the Blue Jays but that’s been the biggest mark against him in any of the three starts. I think we were all hoping for more than five innings, two runs per start when we signed him, but if that’s what we get going forward, I think we’ll take it.
I have paid little (zero) attention to the White Sox this year, but I have to imagine that Shane Smith has got to be the bright spot for them so far. Fourteen starts, 145 ERA+, he’s only given up four home runs in 72 2⁄3 IP. He’s having a phenomenal year. The good news for the Diamondbacks is that he is coming off by far the worst start of his career. He gave up six runs, five earned, in 4 2⁄3 inning against the Cardinals, and he only got two strike outs compared to the five or six he normally gets. Arizona has a chance to turn that into a trend.
Game 2: 6:24, 4:40 PM — Ryne Nelson (4-2, 3.88 ERA, 107 ERA+, 1.07 WHIP) vs. Sean Burke (3-7, 4.50 ERA, 92 ERA+, 1.42 WHIP)
Ryne Nelson continues to beg the question why he started in the bullpen in the first place. In his last four starts, he has given up one run or less three times, pitched five or more innings in three of them, and last time out only gave up a single hit, a home run against the Blue Jays. Now, the other start in that stretch was a seven run melt down, but the trend has been massively positive for Nelson, and there is really no reason to assume it won’t continue.
Burker has been a solid pitcher for the White Sox this season, not blowing anyone away, but doing his best to keep the team in the ball game. Since the start of May, he’ll typically give you six innings, two runs. Very similar to what E-rod has been doing the past few games. However, he is also barely removed from his worst game of the season, where he gave up seven runs in 3 2⁄3 innings to Houston
Game 3: 6/25, 11:10 AM — Zac Gallen (5-8, 5.60 ERA, 74 ERA+, 1.39 WHIP) vs. TBD
If you had told me at the start of the season that Gallen would be the Diamondbacks Opening Day starter in 2026, I’d have been pretty happy because I would have assumed that meant he either extended or re-signed. Now, I probably would be a little disappointed because it means he accepted the Qualifying Offer, and we lost out on that draft pick. His struggles aren’t even bad luck, his FIP is just as bad. He has given up more earned runs than any pitcher in baseball. His WHIP is the worst it’s been in his career. It’s bad, and I don’t know if there is a way to fix it at this point.
Conclusion
This is a series that the Diamondbacks need to win. Sweep would be great, but that’s always a tough expectation even against the worst teams in the league. A win is eminently doable though. If they don’t, then I make no guarantees for how much interest I’ll be able to muster for the foreseeable future.