D-backs and Padres Square Off Friday Night for the First Time in 2024

A good pitching matchup between Dylan Cease and Slade Cecconi highlights the series opener

Apr 21, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Slade Cecconi / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The Diamondbacks host the San Diego Padres tonight at Chase Field for the first of three games this weekend, game time is 6:40 P.M.

It's the first meeting between the NL West rivals in 2024. The Padres are 16-18, 4.5 games back of the Dodgers in second place in the division. The D-backs are in fourth place with a 14-18 record. The Padres are 1.5 games out of the NL Wild Card, and the D-backs are 2.5 games out with five teams in between them and the final playoff seed. Full standings here.

The Padres had been on a five game losing streak before taking the final two games of a three game set against the Reds at Petco Park. They're 4-6 in their last 10. The D-backs were shutout 8-0 by the Dodgers Wednesday, dropping two of three in that series. They are also 4-6 in their last 10.

Friday Night Pitching Matchup

Dylan Cease, RHP, 3-2, 2.78 ERA, 2.80 FIP in 35.2 IP

Traded by the White Sox to the Padres late in spring training, Cease had excellent in his first five outings, posting a 1.82 ERA. Despite getting knocked around for five runs in his most recent outing against the Phillies, he still has numbers somewhat comparable to his 2022 Cy Young contending form.

Cease throws primarily four seam fastballs and sliders, plus a curveball. The fastball comes in at the upper 90's, averaging 96.7 MPH. His slider is a devastating pitch that is generating a 46% Whiff rate. Hitters have just a .119 batting average on the pitch. Overall, Cease has struck out 40 batters while walking just 14

Slade Cecconi, RHP, 1-1, 2.25 ERA, 2.89 FIP in 12 IP

Cecconi was called up to start on April 21st in place of the injured Merrill Kelly and has delivered back to back six inning quality starts. He gave up two runs on two hits without a walk in six innings against the Giants to pick up his first career win. Cecconi was a tough luck loser against the Mariners April 27th, surrendering just one run on three hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. The Mariners won that game 3-1.

Cecconi throws a 94 MPH fastball, an excellent slider, and has a new changeup taught to him by Kelly to combat left-hand hitters. The results on the pitch have been very good so far, as hitters are batting just 2-14, .143 against the offering. One of those hits was a home run by Mike Yastrzemski in San Francisco.

Padres Offense: The Padres traded Juan Soto to the Yankees and Xander Bogaerts is off to another very slow start with a .217 B.A. and .571 OPS. But once you adjust for the pitcher friendly environment of their home ballpark, the Padres 109 OPS+ is 5th in the National League. (100 = league average) San Diego ranks 2nd in the NL in runs scored and RBI as well.

An unlikely source for much of that offense has been switch hitter Jurickson Profar, who has a .342/.431/.532 slash line. His park adjusted 179 OPS+ ranks 5th best in the NL. In all, the Padres have six starters over 100 OPS+ including the often underrated Jake Cronenworth, who is at 137.

Padres Offense / Jack Sommers

D-backs Offense: After scoring 14 runs against the Cardinals on April 23rd, The D-backs have gotten ice-cold, batting just .197 and scoring 14 runs over their last seven games. They still rank 6th in the NL in OPS+ and third in runs scored, but those rankings are propped up by four outlier games in which they scored 59 runs. In their other 28 games they're averaging just 3.7 runs per game.

Platoon players Joc Pederson and Blaze Alexander lead the way with 177 and 169 OPS+, and starters Christian Walker and Ketel Marte are having excellent seasons so far with 151 and 149 OPS+. Walker leads the team with seven homers and 24 RBI.

Corbin Carroll is bringing up the rear with just a 60 OPS+, but his at bats have looked much better over the last three days and he appears to be turning it around. Torey Lovullo insists "The storm is coming."

Diamondbacks Offense /

Bullpens

The Padres 4.01 Bullpen ERA and 3.84 FIP rank 7th in the NL. The D-backs rank 10th with a 4.34 reliever ERA and 4.12 FIP. Neither team ranks well in WPA, or win probability added. The Padres are 12th and the D-backs are 13th.

The above numbers do not show more recent trends however. The relievers that ran up the Padres highesh bullpen ERA have already been demoted.

Closer Robert Suarez has been lights out for the Padres, going a perfect 10 for 10 in save opportunities and sporting a 0.66 ERA. Left-hander Yuki Matsui has a 2.35 ERA in 16 games. Enyel De Los Santos (2.13 ERA) has 17 strikeouts against just three walks in 12.2 IP.

The Diamondbacks bullpen is still without closer Paul Sewald, leading to a bullpen in flux. Kevin Ginkel (2.77 ERA, 5 saves, 2 blown) has performed admirably in his place, but most of the rest of the pen has either been hit by injury or plagued with inconsistency. One exception has been Ryan Thompson, who has been spectacular. He has a 1.42 ERA and 2.19 FIP in 12 games. He's walked just two, struck out nine, and has yet to allow a homer.

Trainer's Room

The Padres have no major injuries and have the fewest dollars tied up on the injured list, according to Spotrac. The Diamondbacks meanwhile have nine players on the injured list. Front line starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez are both on the 60-day IL with shoulder injuries.

The team is expecting to get Sewald (Oblique) and Alek Thomas (Hamstring) back relatively soon, although neither is likely to be activated for this series. Reliever Kyle Nelson is going to have surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and will likely miss at least three months. Right-handers Miguel Castro and Luis Frias are both on the 15-day IL with houlder issues. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo had surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee and has not yet begun baseball activities.