Diamondbacks Try to Rebound Behind Merrill Kelly
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The Diamondbacks and Giants play game two of a three game series today, first pitch is at 1:05 P.M. The Giants took the opener 8-5, behind Logan Webb who out pitched Zach Davies. The D-backs holds a 2.5 game lead in the NL West over the surging Giants who've won 11 of their last 12 games.
Lineups
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The Diamondbacks have ridden the roller coaster of inconsistent starting pitching from anyone not named Merrill Kelly or Zac Gallen this year. The team has a 4.65 starting pitcher's ERA, which ranks 21st in MLB. That team ranking doesn't tell the whole story of course. The production gap between Kelly and Gallen, who are a combined 18-5 with a 2.87 ERA and a team record 21-10 in their starts, is enormous, as can be seen in the table below.
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The D-backs have somehow managed to go 25-21 in games when their non Kelly and Gallen starters have pitched despite them posting a 6.14 ERA and averaging just 4.8 IP per start. Other than putting a lot of extra wear and tear on the bullpen, it's also put pressure on the offense to constantly step up, and often times comeback. To their credit, the offense has answered the call more than can be reasonably expected. They might be due for some regression at the plate, but that's a separate article. The fact is the offense ranks 5th in MLB in runs scored with 5.17 per game and 22 of their 46 wins have been of the comeback variety.
This kind of gap between the top two starters and the rest of the rotation is not that particularly unusual, but it's one that needs to be closed by better performance from the 3-4-5 starters if the D-backs want to make the playoffs and/or have a chance to advance once they get there.
Today's Pitching Matchup
In the meantime, the D-backs will look to Merrill Kelly to right the ship once again. As written in the series preview, over his last seven starts Kelly is 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA. He's currently in a four way tie for the National League lead in wins, along with teammate Zac Gallen. In his most recent start June 19th against the Brewers he gave up just one run on three hits, a walk, and seven strikeouts. He currently has career highs with a 9.6 K/9 ratio and 27.1% strikeout rate. Kelly does have a 3.67 FIP due to a 3.50 BB/9 rate, but most of those walks came in the first few games of the year coming off the World Baseball Classic.
The Giants are starting an "opener" today reliever Ryan Walker. (2-0, 1.56 ERA in 17. 1 IP) They only have one lefty in the pen, Taylor Rogers, who seldom records more than three outs in a game, so Torey Lovullo won't have to worry about the Giants reversing the platoon matchup on the D-backs.