Everything You Need to Know About Cristian Mena's MLB Debut

Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect Cristian Mena was called up to start for an injured Jordan Montgomery

Arizona Diamondbacks Cristian Mena during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Feb. 21, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers are back at it again Wednesday night for game two of their three-game series. The Dodgers walked off the D-backs 6-5 in a crushing loss to start the series.

However, there's no time to lick wounds in the 162-game MLB schedule. The D-backs are in game two of 13 games in a 13-day stretch heading into the All-Star Break. When they take the field, they will do so behind right-hander Cristian Mena, a rookie making his major league debut.

Mena was activated today but was on the Taxi Squad yesterday. He's effectively replacing Jordan Montgomery, who was placed on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation.

The 21-year-old Mena hails from the Dominican Republic. Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent, he spent three years with that organization. On February 3rd of this year, the D-backs traded Dominic Fletcher to Chicago in exchange for Mena.

It was subsequently reported that the White Sox were given a choice between Fletcher and Jake McCarthy. Not only did the D-backs get a promising young pitching prospect who's making his debut before his 22nd birthday, but they got to keep the better outfielder too.

Mena, who was ranked as the D-backs 11th best prospect by MLB Pipeline, has spent the entire year in the hitting-rich environment of the Pacific Coast League. The league average ERA is 5.45. Mena posted a 4.90 ERA in 16 starts. In 83 innings he's struck out 89 batters, walked 38, and allowed 15 homers.

Mena posted an excellent 3.70 ERA through his first 11 starts, but June has been a rough month, as he's put up a 7.43 ERA. He's been very tough on right-hand batters, allowing a .234/,.305/.365 slash line. But left-hand batters have tuned him up, batting .310/.411/.612. Four left-hand batters are in the Dodgers lineup, including Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

Mena's 4-seam fastball averages 93.1 MPH and generates just a 13.5% WHIFF rate as hitters have batted .482 on the pitch. He uses the pitch 33% of the time. It's Mena's excellent breaking and off-speed stuff that makes him effective.

He throws his slider 22%, with a whopping 43% WHIFF rate and a .160 BA against. His curveball is almost as good. He throws it 26% of the time and gets a 33% WHIFF rate while allowing just a .182 BA against. His Change Up is a good offering too. Used 18% of the time he gets a 28% WHIFF rate and has a .227 BA against.

Basically, most of the damage against Mena comes from fastballs to left-hand batters. That's where seven of his 15 homers have come from and he's allowed a .581 BA and 1.323 SLG on fastballs to lefties. Keep that in mind when he's facing Ohtani and Freeman.

D-backs Lineup

Game 86.

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Speaking of Jake McCarthy, he's back in the lineup tonight and in right field. Corbin Carroll is back in centerfield and leading off as Alek Thomas is being eased back into the outfield rotation.

The Dodgers starter is Gavin Stone. He is 9-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 15 starts. He threw a spectacular four-hit complete-game shutout against the White Sox on June 26th. One of his rare below-average starts came against the D-backs on May 21st however, taking the loss when he gave up four runs in six innings in a 7-3 D-backs victory.

Christian Walker took Stone deep in that game. Walker also went yard last night with a two-run homer, giving him 15 for his career in Dodger Stadium.