Snake Bytes 7/26: Holding the Line

Friday’s affair in Pittsburgh was a classic pitching duel, one that even included DeSclafani pitching four scoreless frames.

Diamondbacks News

Arizona 1, Pittsburgh 0 (11)
Talk about no margin for error.

Diamondbacks Shutout Pirates for Gritty Win
Ryne Nelson had another strong outing, allowing only one hit and no runs through six innings. He was relieved by Anthony DeSclafani, who threw four shoutout innings of his own before making way for Kevin Ginkel to close the game with the Manfred Man in effect in the 11th inning. The only RBI of the game was, of course, recorded by Eugenio Suarez when he drove in the speedy Corbin Carroll on a medium depth fly ball.

That’s getting things done.

Torey Lovullo Reacts to Josh Naylor Trade
This is the time of year where many are abruptly reminded that baseball is not just a game, but a business and that expectations rarely meet reality.

Why are the Diamondbacks Wearing Purple Hats?
In honor of Hall of Fame Weekend, teams around Major League Baseball are wearing throwback hats to commemorate the occasion, including the Arizona Diamondbacks. (And here I was hoping it was just because the purple looks good.)

Is Merrill Kelly Making His Last Start for Arizona?
For teams looking for another starter for the run-in, Merrill Kelly represents one of the best options available. But, the Arizona man will not come cheap and the Snakes do still need someone to take the mound every five days in his place should they trade him. (This writer is cautiously expecting that Kelly will still be with the team after the deadline and that, once the deadline passes, AZ will begin extension talks with Kelly.)

Why the Marte Trade Rumors Just Won’t Die
Welcome to the world of speculative baseball and over reaction to punditry and fan passion.

K-Pop Girl Group to Play Snakes, A’s Game
Fans attending the game between the homeless A’s and the Diamondbacks on Friday are in for a bit of an extra treat (or torture, depending on one’s preferences).

Latest on Eugenio Suarez Trade Market
Seattle has already made one big move with Arizona. The Yankees went the more sensible route and traded for Ryan McMahon instead of Suarez. Where does that leave the slugging third baseman and the Diamondbacks?

No Shifting Energy for Diamondbacks as Deadline Nears
I’ll let Torey Lovullo’s comments do the work here.

“I felt like that was important,” Lovullo said. “The one thing that we do in that clubhouse is we identify with how we’re doing and feeling, and we talk about it. I don’t like to bury things. I don’t want anybody to wonder if they have a question. You ask it, I’ll give you an answer. You might not like it. I’m going to be as brutally honest as I possibly can. So we gave the group some time to understand what was going on, and we talked about going out and doing our job. And that’s the bottom line. That’s all we can do. We can control one thing, that’s at 6:40 tonight, to go out and prepare to win a baseball game.”

Other Baseball News

Yankees Patch Third Base Hole with Ryan McMahon
As much as the Yankees were linked with Suarez, this always seemed the more likely option for the Bronx Bombers.

Nine Teams Still Needing to Make Moves
While the Mariners and Yankees have both made big moves already, that does not save them from this list.

Fangraphs Trade Values List 1-10
Corbin Carroll moves up the list of most valuable player assets in the game. The top position really shouldn’t come as a surprise once anyone gives it some real though.

Nick Kurtz Goes Off, 6-for-6 with 4 Home Runs
Nick Kurtz became the first rookie to go deep four times in a game. Unlike when Eugenio Suarez did it for Arizona, the A’s pummeled the Astros in Houston, with Kurtz responsible for eight RBI by himself. If only the A’s had some fans to watch the feat happen.

What a night.

That is painfully close

Aaron Judge to Undergo Testing for Elbow Issue
How this particular saga unfolds could define the development of both the trade deadline and the rest of the season.