Diamondbacks beat Nationals away and take another series win
Ryne Nelson on his performance-based win against the White Sox
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson talks about his performance in the win over the White Sox on June 14, 2024.
WASHINGTON — For much of the spring, the Diamondbacks’ season seemed to be an unwelcome rollercoaster ride. Every sign of progress was followed by a baffling loss, a new injury, the slump of another key player. By the end of May, the reigning National League champions’ record was just 25-32.
“We’ve never had a 10-game stretch where all three phases worked at the same time,” closer Paul Sewald said at the time, summing up the general feeling of frustration among the Diamondbacks.
Fast forward three weeks and the mood is different. The Diamondbacks aren’t where they want to be yet, one game shy of .500, but after Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Nationals, they’ve won three straight series. The last time they lost a series was May 28-29 at Texas. In June, they’re 12-6, their best 18-game series of the season.
Granted, the wins have come during one of the easier stretches of their schedule. They haven’t played a team currently above .500 in nearly a month, and their last nine games have all been against teams that weren’t expected to contend for playoff spots, including the awful White Sox.
At the beginning of this phase, however, the question arose as to whether the Diamondbacks could benefit from it. The answer was a clear yes.
“We’ve been a consistent, collective effort for two weeks,” said outfielder Jake McCarthy. “And I think that’s more in line with who we are as a team.”
The Diamondbacks, however, were not yet in their final form. Three of their best starting pitchers – Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez – are all on the injured list. Even with this strong start to June, they have a rotation ERA of 4.94. It wasn’t quite three phases that ran in lockstep, as Sewald had envisioned.
It was, however, the closest the Diamondbacks have come to a collective effort this year. The back row of the bullpen has been strong and the defense has shone. Most importantly, the offense has ranked second in runs scored since the start of June. That was also the case in April before finishing 27th in a disastrous May.
The contributions came from both up and down the lineup, and often look like what happened Thursday, when the Diamondbacks collected 10 singles, two doubles and two walks, with eight starters reaching base.
They gave Ryne Nelson the lead in the middle innings, scoring three in the fourth and once in the fifth. Both times, McCarthy was the catalyst, finishing the game with three singles – one to each half of the field – and stealing two bases.
“It’s hard to shoot when guys are always in scoring position,” McCarthy said. “Maybe they’re especially thinking about the guys who are running. So if I can make life easier for some of the guys behind me, that’s great.”
Once the Diamondbacks gave Nelson a lead, he kept his cool, needing just 70 pitches to get through seven two-run innings. In the three games this week, the Diamondbacks threw just 287 pitches, taking advantage of the Nationals’ free-swinging style of play.
“You have to be focused from the first pitch,” Nelson said. “You can’t just take the lead with a pitch down the middle.”
The Nationals’ aggressiveness led to an atypical game plan, but it played into Nelson’s hands.
“That’s what you want on a really hot day,” Nelson said. “A few quick outs.”
The schedule is getting tougher now. A weekend trip to Philadelphia kicks off a tough pre-All-Star break clash that will see the Diamondbacks face the Phillies, Dodgers and Braves in six series. Only one of their next nine opponents is out of the playoffs.
But what the Diamondbacks have done over the past three weeks is a crucial tenet for playoff teams. Last year, they went 44-28 against inferior opponents to secure a wild-card spot.
At the beginning of June, their record in these games was just 19-20. Now, three weeks later, they are on the right track.
Alek Thomas wants to continue his rehab
WASHINGTON — Earlier this week, the Diamondbacks said they didn’t know what would happen next with center fielder Alek Thomas, who was sore after rehab games in the Arizona Complex League. But after that brief scare, Thomas will resume his rehab in the Complex League with games on Friday and Saturday.
If all goes well there, it’s likely that Thomas – who missed almost the entire season with a hamstring strain – could head to Triple-A Reno for a rehab assignment next week.
“He’s in a pretty good spot,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Everything has been going well and he seems to be in a very positive frame of mind. When you hear the word fatigue, it sends a signal. You just have to be cautious given what he’s been through.”
Zac Gallen is close to a possible return to the Diamondbacks
WASHINGTON — Zac Gallen pitched well in a three-inning sim game earlier this week while recovering from a mild hamstring strain. He is scheduled to pitch in another sim game early next week, possibly as early as Monday. That game will be four innings and about 60 to 65 pitches.
Lovullo’s comments Thursday made it sound as though Gallen would not need a full rehab program after his next simulation game, which could mean he could return to the Diamondbacks as soon as next weekend for the home series against the Athletics or the road series immediately following against the Dodgers.
“Once you get to 65 (throws) and you can get to about 80 (throws) on the next throw, that wouldn’t be a bad position for him to be in here with us,” Lovullo said. “But we have to get him through the next one.”
The Diamondbacks’ rotation desperately needs reinforcements. With both Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly likely out during the All-Star break, the Diamondbacks will be without their top three starters.
Pitching duel between the Diamondbacks and the Phillies on Friday
Diamondbacks at Phillies, 3:40 p.m., Apple TV+
Diamondbacks LHP Jordan Montgomery (5-4, 6.00) vs. Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker (3-2, 5.33).
At Citizens Bank Park: After two consecutive disastrous starts against the Mets and Giants, Montgomery pitched well in the Diamondbacks’ last home game. In starts against the Angels and White Sox, he totaled 10 2/3 innings, 10 strikeouts and allowed three earned runs. … Montgomery’s changeup and curveball worked better against the White Sox than they have all season, paving the way for him to a season-high seven strikeouts. … Walker is in the second year of a four-year, $72 million contract with the Phillies. … He posted mediocre results with a 4.38 ERA last season and has taken another step back this year. He is currently the weakest link in a dominant Philadelphia rotation. … Walker has made it through the sixth inning just once in his last five starts. … His sweeper has been by far his best pitch this season.
Soon
Saturday: In Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Tommy Henry (2-2, 6.23) vs. Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (8-4, 2.84).
Sunday: In Philadelphia, 8:35 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Slade Cecconi (2-5, 5.90) against Phillies LHP Christopher Sanchez (4-3, 2.91).
Monday: Day off.
Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-6, 4.37) vs. Twins RHP Joe Ryan (5-5, 3.13).
What you should know about the Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have cooled off a bit in recent weeks, finishing 4-6 in their last 10 games. Still, they have been the National League’s best team at 49-25. They rank fourth in runs scored, sixth in home runs and fourth in OPS. Their rotation has the third-best ERA in the sport at 2.97 and their bullpen is eighth at 3.47. In other words, this is a team with no notable weaknesses. 1B Bryce Harper is having another dominant season with a .931 OPS. 3B Alek Bohm, DH Kyle Schwarber and SS Trea Turner have all played at a high level as well, although Turner has played just two games since returning from a six-week injured list. LHP Ranger Suarez (1.75 ERA) may have been the best starting pitcher in baseball, although the Diamondbacks will miss him. They will also miss RHP Aaron Nola, who is having another strong year after re-signing with Philadelphia on a long-term deal this winter. However, they will have to face Zack Wheeler and Christopher Sanchez, both of whom have been among the better starters in the National League this year.
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