Eduardo Rodriguez to Begin D-backs' Miracle Chase vs Padres

The D-backs will soon need a miracle to make the playoffs, and it starts with their veteran left-hander.

Sep 13, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) reacts after allowing a two run home run to Milwaukee Brewers first base Rhys Hoskins (12) during the fourth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are hanging by a thread in the Wild Card race after losing 5-3 to the Padres on Friday night. They no longer entirely control their own destiny, but will need to win Saturday night, first pitch is at 5:10 p.m. Arizona time.

They'll look to veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to deliver a tough start when they need it the most. Rodriguez has been mostly a shadow of the pitcher Arizona had looked to acquire last off-season, pitching to a 5.56 ERA.

His FIP is lower at 4.71, implying a bit of bad luck, but the fact is that Rodriguez's stuff has simply been quite hittable, and his 1.59 HR/9 is a career-high.

After back-to-back solid starts against the Brewers and Rockies, Rodriguez was lit up for five earned runs in 4.2 innings against the Giants. Of the seven hits allowed against San Francisco, three were home runs.

Strangely, despite his poor overall results and ERA, he's been striking out batters at an extremely high rate. After failing to collect more than five strikeouts in an outing in his first six starts, he's collected 26 punchouts over his last three starts, including a career-high 11 in Colorado.

That's certainly an encouraging sign for Rodriguez's longevity and ability to miss bats, but he's simply left too many hittable pitches over the heart of the zone. With an aggressive and locked-in Padres squad, he'll need to find a way to work back to living around the edges exclusively - something Rodriguez does exceptionally well at his peak.

The Padres, however, with their ticket to a home playoff series already clinched, won't go full force for the final two games. For Saturday's game, they called up young right-hander Randy Vasquez to make the start.

Vasquez hasn't pitched exceptionally well over 92 innings this season. A 4.78 FIP doesn't provide much solace in the wake of a 6.16 ERA.

That said, he's delivered two Quality Starts against the D-backs this season, allowing just five runs over 13 innings. The D-backs are 1-1 against him, though he wasn't stuck with the decision in either contest.

He throws a diverse six-pitch arsenal, sitting 94 MPH on his four-seam/sinker combo. He also sports a curve, cutter, changeup and sweeper.

He's no stranger to hard contact, doesn't strike many batters out, and doesn't collect many ground balls, but, as was seen Saturday night, Chase Field can be a stingy environment for fly-ball pitchers to survive.

With the Padres likely resting their A-squad relievers, running Vasquez's pitch count up will be crucial. Patient at-bats, and taking more controlled swings to find gaps will likely be a more effective approach than trying to rip long balls early on.

Lineups

Diamondbacks vs Padres Lineups / Alex D'Agostino, Diamondbacks ON SI

It's all hands on deck for the D-backs, as they trot out their righty-starter lineup. Jake McCarthy returns his speed to the outfield, after a struggle-filled Friday night from Pavin Smith in right.

Ketel Marte committed a couple of costly mistakes in the infield, but both were difficult plays, and he's been Arizona's undeniable MVP on both sides of the plate throughout 2024. Marte was out taking extra ground balls early before Saturday's game.

The offense sputtered on Friday, going a mere 1-for-7 with RISP, with multiple chances to tie the game. It wasn't for a lack of solid contact, as multiple 400-foot balls came up as outs or doubles rather than home runs.

For an offense that leads MLB, the D-backs' lineup has been extremely inconsistent of late, and the A-squad will be looking to make an early statement and control the game, as they've done so often this season.

The Padres, with nothing left to clinch (or prove), will send out a watered-down lineup, resting starters like Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez and Jackson Merrill, and rolling with a more bench-focused lineup. This should theoretically provide a bit of an easier path for Eduardo Rodriguez and the D-backs' bullpen, but baseball remains unpredictable.

Nick Ahmed will return to Chase Field, as the longtime former D-backs franchise shortstop seeks a revenge tour against the club that DFA'd him last season. He's slashing just .232/.271/.300 on the year so far, but is still playing solid defense.

Ahmed had his contract selected by the Padres on September 22, but he has yet to appear in a game for San Diego. More details on his NL West tour here.

Also appearing is former D-backs outfielder David Peralta. Peralta has platooned to a solid .271/.337/.424 slash and .761 OPS. He had two hits in Friday's game, and drove in a run.