This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
Welcome to the primary D-backs Insider Publication of the second half! The D-backs will fly to Toronto on Thursday and have an optionally available exercise earlier than opening the second half towards the Blue Jays on Friday night time. After the three-game set in Toronto, the D-backs will head to Atlanta for 3 video games and wrap up the journey with three video games towards the surging Reds in Cincinnati. It’s a rugged strategy to begin the second half and a great check for the D-backs, who haven’t performed their finest baseball over the past couple of weeks. However earlier than we begin trying forward, let’s have a look again on the first half …
Requested what grade he would give his crew’s first half of the season, D-backs supervisor Torey Lovullo stated, “Incomplete.”
That is sensible, as a result of there’s nonetheless a lot to write down within the story of the 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks season, however it doesn’t imply we are able to’t check out the place they’re up to now. And if you happen to’re a D-backs fan, you need to be fairly completely happy.
The D-backs headed into the All-Star break a number of proportion factors behind the Dodgers within the National League West and up to now have been one of many extra nice surprises in baseball.
“I’m happy with our guys,” Lovullo stated. “I’m happy with what we’ve finished. We’re in a great place.”
The D-backs are two years faraway from a 110-loss season. They received 74 video games in 2022. They usually confronted a tricky schedule to open the season with 10 straight video games towards the division-rival Dodgers and Padres.
Once they weathered that stretch in good condition, the boldness started to construct within the clubhouse and the remainder of baseball started to take discover as they continued to win collection all through the primary month.
“We needed to make statements and are available out and let the remainder of the league know that we’re a great baseball crew,” Lovullo stated. “Internally you’ll be able to discuss issues and say issues, however you bought to go on the market and make it occur. The primary 10 video games of the season had been a reasonably good problem for us, a reasonably good marker. We had the Padres and the Dodgers, and I imply, everyone in my inside circle — my household, my buddies — [thought] it was like a dying sentence. We had been gonna go 0-10 or no matter it was. And we did not and we held our personal, we held serve. I believe that that that was a giant factor for us.”
With all that in thoughts, let’s have a look again on the first half:
What we realized
The D-backs are for actual. They had been anticipated this 12 months to enhance over final 12 months’s 74-win version, however few had them being the NL West crew with essentially the most days in first place on the All-Star break. The D-backs have gotten contributions from up and down their roster, together with large hits from gamers who had been referred to as up from the Minors like outfielder Dominic Fletcher. As their younger core continues to realize expertise their performances ought to get even higher.
Seemingly Commerce Deadline technique
For the primary time in quite a lot of years the D-backs determine to be consumers on the Commerce Deadline. The D-backs have an impressive Minor League system however don’t anticipate GM Mike Hazen to half with prime prospects like shortstop Jordan Lawlar or outfielder Druw Jones. Arizona does have some Main League items it may deal too, given its depth within the outfield. The membership’s prime goal will seemingly be backend bullpen assist.
Key participant: Corbin Carroll
When Carroll took a swing and grabbed his proper shoulder for the second time in every week on July 6, Lovullo admitted he started to consider how the crew would be capable to change Carroll for the remainder of the season. The damage turned out to not be severe and Carroll was again within the lineup the subsequent day, however he’s the participant offensively that the D-backs can least afford to lose.
Prospect to look at: Brandon Pfaadt
Pfaadt is the No. 3-ranked prospect in Arizona’s system per MLB Pipeline, however his first two stints within the large leagues this 12 months haven’t gone properly. The D-backs are nonetheless extraordinarily excessive on Pfaadt and the probabilities appear good that they may name on him once more sooner or later through the second half.
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Revealed : 2023-07-12 17:55:30
