Subscribe
Follow Us
The Arizona Diamondbacks have played inspired baseball during the second half of the season, overcoming a slow start to become one of the favorites to nab a wild card spot in the NL. But manager Torey Lovullo is not resting on his laurels. After losing two out of their first three games in a four-game set against division rival Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks would have wanted to finish strong as an encore to their 14-3 win on Sunday. Alas, Arizona simply could not keep runs off the board as they suffered an 11-6 defeat on Monday.
The Diamondbacks' offense has been the one allowing them to flourish this season, as their pitching simply hasn't been up to snuff. They rank 13th in the NL in runs allowed per game, with only the putrid Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies allowing more this season, and this has proven to be a problem in their series against the Dodgers. LA scored a total of 32 runs over the course of the series, and that simply is not a recipe for winning baseball.
Regardless, manager Torey Lovullo shouldered the blame for the Diamondbacks' loss and vowed to be better as they look to secure their spot among the NL's six best teams.
“We've got to be better. I'm responsible for it. I'm going to make sure I need to address the things that need to be addressed. There were just too many mistakes in this game today,” Lovullo said, via ESPN.
There is only so much Lovullo can do when the Diamondbacks' pitchers are struggling to this degree. Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez entered the night with a 5.06 ERA, while Jordan Montgomery and Slade Cecconi, the first two relievers Lovullo called upon, had a 6.16 and 6.14 ERA, respectively.
Lovullo, perhaps, could have managed his bullpen better; there should be no way that the best options the Diamondbacks must have off the pen at any given time are pitchers with an ERA of over six. Better attention to detail could serve the Diamondbacks well especially when the team's pitchers are performing worse compared to last season.
Diamondbacks' pitching woes rise to the forefront
The good news for the Diamondbacks is that their front three in the starting rotation has been solid enough in 2024. Zac Gallen may be performing worse than he was in 2023, but he has still been more than solid with a 3.87 ERA this season across 24 starts. Meanwhile, Brandon Pfaadt has improved leaps and bounds from his substandard rookie year, and Ryne Nelson has made plenty of strides as well.
However, Merrill Kelly has yet to find his stride amid an injury-riddled 2024. Kelly allowed six runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings of work on Saturday in an 8-6 loss to the Dodgers, and he must regain his 2023 form soon if he were to become an impactful pitcher for the team in stretch run.
And then there's the disastrous addition of Jordan Montgomery, the lefty who was part of the Texas Rangers team that beat the Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series. After a solid 2023 campaign in which he put up a WAR total of 4.3 (per Fangraphs), Montgomery has struggled, to say the least, in the Valley. His strikeout, walk, and home run rate all declined from last year, and his peripherals back up what has been a dreadful 2024 season.
There will be no easy fixes in the pitching department for Torey Lovullo; the hope now for the Diamondbacks is that they continue to outslug the opposition moving forward.
