Game #43 Preview: Tommy Henry Making Case for More Starts

The 25-year-old lefty has been stringing together quality starts at a time the Diamondbacks need a third reliable starter.

The Diamondbacks (24-18) will try to take the second game of their three game series against the Oakland Athletics (9-34), with first pitch at 6:40 PM at Oakland Coliseum. In the first game of the series, the D-backs built up a 5-1 lead early then rode Merrill Kelly's impressive start to cruise to a win. Arizona is six games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2019 season (85-77). 

Starting Pitcher Matchup

Jack Sommers

Tommy Henry had a bumpy first start after being called up on April 25th. In his last three starts, he has given the D-backs valuable length with 18 innings and two quality starts (6+ innings, three runs or less). With the team looking for one of their young arms to step up behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, Henry is making the case for more starts. 

His style is pitching to contact, using a fastball that's 90-92 MPH up in the strike zone and using his curveball, slider, and changeup to keep hitters off balance. Despite a low strikeout per nine innings rate of 3.6, he has compensated by inducing weak contact. Opposing batters are hitting balls at an average of 86.7 MPH and a hard-hit rate of just 32.4%, which rank in the 82nd and 81st percentile on Statcast respectively. The key will be for him to continue to induce weak contact and limit the amount of walks to continue his run of solid starts.

Kyle Muller was acquired by the Athletics from the Atlanta Braves in the Sean Murphy three-team trade last winter. A 6'7" left-hander that averages just under 93 MPH on his fastball, he utilizes a curveball, slider, and changeup. In his first year with Oakland, he's been hit hard with a 7.34 ERA in eight starts. Muller has averaged 6.4 strikeouts and 5.0 walks per nine innings, so he's not missing bats and is giving out free passes. Opposing hitters are batting .340, causing those walks to come around to score.

Lineups

MLB.com

Notes

With more than 40 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, Gabriel Moreno leads the team with a .409 batting average. Corbin Carroll (.325) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.373) are the other two hitters batting above .300 against lefties. Christian Walker just misses the cut with a .295 in 51 PA.

Since April 23rd, the D-backs' 11.2% walk rate ranks second in the major leagues behind the San Diego Padres (11.7%). Over that stretch, the team's .359 on-base percentage is best in the majors. Jack Sommers had previously written about the team's turnaround with walks back on May 6th.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is hitting .405 with four doubles, five home runs, and six walks during the month of May. He's carrying a nine-game hitting streak into this game, in which he is batting .441 over that span.

The D-backs rank third in baseball in Statcast's Outs Above Average at +13, led by third baseman's Josh Rojas' +8. They will need to continue to play good defense behind Henry, who is very reliant on his defense to eat up innings.