Diamondbacks Visit Houston for Inter-league Play

A quick two game series features a marquee pitching matchup Wednesday with Zac Gallen facing Justin Verlander

© Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect the pitching change for tonight's game.

The Arizona Diamondbacks (71-83) visit the Houston Astros (101-53) for a two game inter-league series starting tonight. The Astros have already clinched the NL West division for the fifth time in the last six years. The only season they haven't won the division in that span was the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season.

The Astros just split a four game series with the Orioles taking the final two and are 17-6 for the month of September. 

The Diamondbacks are coming off a 1-2 series loss to the San Francisco Giants and have completed their home schedule. All remaining eight games are on the road. They have been battling through a difficult schedule for the final month of the season and are 10-15 in September having lost eight of their last 11. Their last four losses have all been by one run, with a different reliever taking the loss in each of those. They've only been outscored by seven runs 99-106 this month however.

Pitching Matchups

Tuesday, September 27th, 5:10 P.M. MST

Pitcher	Games	Innings	Record	ERA	FIP	SO/W	HR/9
Zach Davies	25	125	2-4	4.03	4.79	2.13	1.4
Luis Garcia	26	145.1	13-8	3.90	4.03	3.2	1.4

Zach Davies has been close to league average for the Diamondbacks in almost every way but one. He's averaged exactly five innings pitched per game started against the MLB average of 5.2 IP/GS. He has a 100 ERA+, which is a league and ballpark adjusted measure from Baseball-Reference.com. 100 equals league average, above 100 is better than league average. But strangely, Davies has 19 no decisions despite having gone five innings or longer in 17 of his 25 starts. While he's had eight outings where he failed to go five innings another factor leading to this is poor run support while he's been in the game. He's received just 3.0 runs per 27 outs while in the game, which is the lowest on the Diamondbacks and tied for ninth lowest in MLB. Still, it's up to Davies to get deeper in the game if he wants to finish the season on a high note. 

Luis Garcia is a last minute replacement tonight for Lance McCullers Jr. who was scratched due to an illness.  The 25 year old right hander is in his third season with the Astros. He throws 42% Four Seamers with an average velocity of 94.1 MPH. He uses his cutter 30% of the time, with the balance 30% of his pitches an even mix of curveballs, changeups, and sliders. According to Pitch Values at Frangraphs his cutter is his most effective pitch. 

Wednesday, September 28th, 5:10 P.M. MST

Pitcher	Games	Innings	Record	ERA	FIP	SO/W	HR/9
Zac Gallen	29	172	12-3	2.46	2.89	4.2	0.6
Justin Verlander	26	163	17-4	1.82	2.61	6.2	0.7

Zac Gallen  finds himself in a marquee pitching matchup against Justin Verlander. Gallen was outstanding in his last outing against the Dodgers, going eight full  innings for the first time in his career. He struck out 13, didn't walk a batter, and gave up just two hits and one run. He was in line for the win but the bullpen could not protect a 2-1 lead, getting walked off in the bottom of the ninth 3-2. Gallen set the franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings earlier this month with 44.1 straight donuts. He tied a major league record with six straight starts of six innings or more without allowing a run. 

Justin Verlander's amazing season marches on. Stalled briefly when he had to leave a start on August 28th due to a calf injury, he's picked up right where he left off his last two starts since returning. He threw five no hit innings against Oakland September 16th, and was tough luck loser against the Orioles in his most recent start September 22nd. He went six innings, giving up just two runs on six hits in the 2-0 Astros loss. Verlander, who turns 40 in February is the favorite to win the Cy Young award in his first season back since having Tommy John Surgery. He leads the AL in Wins, Win %,  ERA, and WHIP. 

The Astros star studded lineup is lead by Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman. The Diamondbacks top hitters this year are Christian Walker, Jake McCarthy, and Daulton Varsho. 

Ryan Pressly (2.98 ERA, 31 Saves) is the Astros closer, and has converted 10 saves in a row. When he's not available, set up man Rafael Montero (2.51 ERA, 13 Saves) has filled in admirably. 

The Diamondbacks bullpen has been in complete disarray the entire season. Closer Mark Melancon lost that role and the team has been going with a closer by committee system for the last 6 weeks, with very little success. The Diamondbacks lead MLB with 39 reliever losses this year. That is two behind the franchise worst 41 set in 2021, and three behind the MLB record 42 bullpen losses set by the Washington Nationals, also in 2022. 

Be sure to also check out the series preview from Inside the Astros