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Giants win again against Diamondbacks; more fights for Brandon Pfaadt

Gillberg
Giants win again against Diamondbacks; more fights for Brandon Pfaadt

Late on September 21, the Diamondbacks held a three-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for a wild card spot in the National League.

Three nights later, the lead is down to half a game, and the three-team race for two wild-card spots looks more and more like it could come down to the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

The San Francisco Giants blanked the Diamondbacks 11-0 on Tuesday night at Chase Field, a loss that could raise concerns about starter Brandon Pfaadt in the rotation and was certainly alarming enough to make one wonder if Arizona can reaches the postseason for the second year in a row.

The loss also left frustrated Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo without much to say after the game.

“I usually try to filter things the right way and come up with something that’s going to sound a little bit positive, but I don’t think there’s a lot of positives from this game,” Lovullo said. “We have to play better baseball. We need to play more focused baseball.

“Everything is built from launch, and that makes the game look sharp, determines the flow, and keeps everyone engaged when you’re attacking the zone. I think there were bits and pieces of that.”

It wasn’t long ago that the Diamondbacks (87-71) looked like a lock for the postseason. They haven’t had extended losing streaks this month with just two three-game skids, including their most recent three-game losing streak, but the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves have been getting closer and closer in the wild-card bracket.

Now Atlanta (86-71) and Arizona are tied in the loss column, with Atlanta holding the tiebreaker with its 5-2 record against the Diamondbacks in head-to-head competition this season.

The Braves won their third straight game, beating the Mets at home and putting themselves in position to also overtake the current wild-card No. 1 Mets. 2.

The Diamondbacks are trying to stay balanced, outfielder Corbin Carroll said, drawing from last season’s postseason run and what they’ve been through this season.

“We have to leave it all out there and that’s what we intend to do,” he said.

The Giants might have won by even more had Carroll not robbed Mike Yastrzemski of a home run in the second inning and Ketel Marte gave up a bouncer to right field with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth.

“He hit it pretty high and it gave me a chance to get there,” Carroll said. “I think that’s probably the first homer I’ve ever robbed.”

But the Giants hit five home runs tonight. They trailed Pfaadt (10-10) before the third period was over. Pfaadt, who allowed one run on two hits over seven innings in a win at Milwaukee in his last start, was torched for four earned runs on six hits and gave up two home runs. He has given up at least four earned runs in seven of his last eight outings.

Lovullo said the Diamondbacks need to forget about Tuesday night.

“We’ve got four games left and we’ve got something in front of us that’s really, really special. But we can’t get distracted from what we’re trying to do,” Lovullo said. “We have to focus on (Wednesday) and take care of business. But this was definitely a frustrating day and I want these guys to feel that, I want them to understand why it happened, then get it out and be ready to go (Wednesday).”

The Giants hit Pfaadt’s missed pitches hard and often.

“I felt great physically,” Pfaadt said. “I felt like we were getting pitches early, we left some fastballs up the middle and we paid the price for that. We talked about consistency and that hasn’t been the case lately.”

Pfaadt is slated to start Sunday’s regular-season finale, but hasn’t been told he will. His two shortest outings of the season have come in his last three starts, including Tuesday.

“I’ll be ready. Whatever they want me to do, obviously I’m ready for it,” Pfaadt said.

The Diamondbacks finished the night with six hits, shut out for the second time this month. It was also the sixth time this month they allowed 10 or more runs to an opponent.

—Jose M. Romero

Diamondbacks attendance increased by over 4,000 fans per game

The 2024 Diamondbacks are headed for their best overall marks and average attendance per game since 2008 with five regular-season home games to come at Chase Field, including Tuesday night.

Arizona averaged 28,560 fans per home game in 2024 before Tuesday night’s game, up from 24,212 in 2023 when they reached the postseason. It seems clear that reaching the World Series last season had an effect, even though the Diamondbacks are 11 of 15 National League teams in attendance.

The Diamondbacks have welcomed 2,170,557 fans to Chase Field in 76 games through Tuesday night, according to Baseball Reference. They need about 50,000 more fans in the four remaining regular-season games to surpass their 2018 total and average attendance, which is likely to happen.

In 2008, after a postseason appearance, the Diamondbacks drew nearly 31,000 fans per game to Chase Field. They won’t reach that this season, but there’s a good chance 2024 will be the highest number since 2008.

Manager Torey Lovullo said the team needs to win year after year to maintain a consistent fan base. The fans deserve it, he said, and it’s a standard the organization hopes to live up to.

“We went to the World Series last year, we’re right in the thick of it to get back to the big dance. And our fans are smart and appreciate where we’re at right now,” Lovullo said. “So I want to thank them for coming out and supporting us. I think we’re about 2008… So we’re grateful for that. We love playing in front of our fans. They rock this place and it’s loud , and when I go out here I make a difference.

“But we want to keep winning them back, piece by piece and year by year, because we want to be consistently in this situation every year,” Lovullo added. “The fans come and get to know us. Now they know us on a first name basis and it’s a nice feeling.”

—Jose M. Romero

Right-hander Ryne Nelson held a bullpen session Tuesday afternoon and said he’s ready to return from the disabled list whenever the team wants him back — and in whatever role the Arizona Diamondbacks prefer.

“Based on how it went today, I feel great,” Nelson said. “I feel strong. I feel like I have some life behind me and I think that will only build as we continue in the next few days and weeks and hopefully next month.

“I think I should be ready to go whenever they want me out there.”

Nelson had been the Diamondbacks’ most reliable starter for the past two months when he went on the injured list two weeks ago with inflammation in his right shoulder.

Nelson said he felt soreness and had trouble playing catch in the days after his Sept. 8 start against the Houston Astros, prompting the club to send him for an MRI, which showed only inflammation. He took four days off from throwing, but has been growing again in recent days. He threw his first bullpen on Saturday, followed by Tuesday at Chase Field.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Nelson is “very much” an option to pitch this weekend, though he said the club does not have a finalized plan for who will pitch against the Padres on Saturday and Sunday after right-hander Merrill Kelly starts the series opener . Friday.

“Maybe he’s available to push himself, I don’t know,” Lovullo said. “I love it when Nelly is on. He threw the ball very well. I want to make sure that whatever that number is, whatever the pitch count is, I want to make the most of it.”

Nelson owns a 4.33 ERA in 147 2/3 innings this season. Since June 14, he has a 3.46 ERA in 96 1/3 innings with 17 walks and 92 strikeouts. The Diamondbacks went 12-4 in his 16 appearances during that span.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery has started the last two times in Nelson’s place, and his turn in the rotation comes Saturday. But with Thursday off, the Diamondbacks could skip Montgomery and go back to lefty Eduardo Rodriguez on Saturday, with Nelson serving as a relief option either that day or Sunday.

Nelson said he would be comfortable pitching in whatever role the Diamondbacks want.

“I’ll take the ball as long as they let me have it and try to get as many outs as possible,” he said.

Nelson was asked what he thought would be the most prudent course of action in terms of pitch count. He was throwing more than 100 pitches every five days as recently as a few weeks ago, but now he’s dealing with an injury and taking time off to throw a mound.

“There are definitely some people with a lot more knowledge about the human body than I do,” he said. “There was a decent little period where I took four days off from full-throwing and I think that weighs on the decisions.

“I think they’re going to make the smartest decision in terms of my health and also performing and being there and helping the team. I think it’s a balancing act that they know how to play very well.”

— Nick Piecoro

Wednesday’s Diamondbacks-Giants opener

Giants at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34

Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (13-6, 3.74) vs. Giants RHP Mason Black (1-4, 5.88).

At Chase Field: Gallen pitched four scoreless innings in Milwaukee before serving up three homers in the fifth inning as the Brewers rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game. … In his previous start, he gave up three runs in five innings, also against the Brewers. … Pitching deep into games has been a problem in recent weeks for Gallen, who has gone six innings in just two of his last eight outings. … Black has made eight appearances (seven starts) in the majors, and his most recent outing was probably his best. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings against the Royals… Never faced the Diamondbacks. … He throws a good number of strikeouts, walking just 2.7 batters per nine innings. … Black averages about 92.5 mph with fastballs. He also throws a sweeper, slider and changeup.

It’s coming

Thursday: Off.

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (5-0, 3.71) vs. Padres LHP Martin Perez (5-5, 4.25).

Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Padres RHP Yu Darvish (6-3, 3.18).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 12:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (10-9, 4.66)* vs Padres RHP Michael King (12-9, 3.04)*.

* — stats enter Tuesday.

(This story has been updated to add new information)

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