Diamondbacks at Giants Weekend Series Pitching Matchups

The top two teams in the NL West face off in San Francisco starting tonight

The first place Diamondbacks (46-30) visit the second place Giants (42-33) for a three game weekend series at Oracle Park, starting Friday night. 

The Giants just had a 10 game winning streak snapped, getting shut out Thursday by the Padres  10-0.  Alex Wood took the loss. The D-backs completed a series sweep against the Nationals with a 5-3 victory in a makeup game that was originally scheduled for June 8th. 

Game 1, Friday June 23rd: 7:15 First Pitch PST

Zach Davies RHP, 1-3, 7.11 ERA

Davies is coming off the worst start of his career, allowing nine runs in just 3.2 innings against the Guardians on June 18th.  The only saving grace to Davies seasons so far is that his fielding independent pitching (FIP) is just 4.06, over three runs lower than his ERA. This hints at some bad luck on balls in play, as does his .365 BABIP.  Signed to a one year deal during the off season to provide innings at the back of the rotation it's been a tough season for the veteran right-hander. He missed more than a month with an oblique strain and has not been able to get in a groove since returning. 

Logan Webb RHP, 6-6, 3.11

Webb emerged as one of the best and most consistent starters in the National League in 2021 when he posted a 3.03 ERA in 148 innings and followed that up with a 2.90 ERA in 192 last year. He started this year giving up four earned runs in each of his first four starts, going 0-4 with a 4.94 ERA through April 17th. Since then he's made 11 starts and gone 6-2 with a 2.53 ERA.  He held the Dodgers to two runs in seven innings on June 18th to pick up the win.  Webb continues to rely on his sinker to induce ground balls 60.7% 

Game 2, Saturday  1:05 P.M. PST

Merrill Kelly RHP, 9-3, 2.90 ERA

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. 

TBD- or Bullpen Game

Due to the injuries to  Alex Cobb and Ross Stripling the Giants are forced into a bullpen game, or might bring up a starter from their minor league system. 

Game 3, Sunday  1:05 P.M. PST

Ryne Nelson RHP, 3-4, 5.34 ERA

Nelson has been plagued with inconsistency this year, often struggling with both fastball command and being able to land his secondary pitches to keep hitters off his fastball. While he averages in the mid 90's with the four seamer, batters are tuning him on the pitch, batting .335 with a .543 slugging.  Overall he has a whopping 10.6 hits per nine rate.  His FIP of 4.63, while lower than his ERA, is hardly inspiring as he's also given up 10 homers.  Still a rookie,  until he learns how to locate his fastball better and get consistency landing his breaking pitches it's difficult to project improvement.  He did make it through five innings giving up three run and striking out six without walking a batter in his most recent start. 

Anthony DeSclafani RHP,  4-6, 4.38 ERA

DeSclafani started out the year hot, going 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA in his first six starts. Since then he's struggled, gong 1-5 with a 6.22 ERA in nine starts.  HIs FIP is 4.29 in that stretch and his BABIP is .351, so there might have been some poor luck involved.  Left hand batters have a .297 average and .790 OPS against him, compared to a .224 avg and .644 OPS against vs. right hand batters.