The Diamondbacks followed up their unexpected 2023 pennant by falling just short of a playoff spot, tying the Mets for a Wild Card spot with 89 wins but losing the tie-breaker. This year they have been around .500 for much of the year, rebounding from a tough May with a solid June. More recently they have begun to slide again, losing six of eight to fall under .500.
The Diamondbacks are the opposite of the Royals in that they can really hit, but have struggled with pitching.
Kansas City Royals (41-47) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (43-44) at Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Royals: 3.30 runs scored/game (30th in MLB), 3.68 runs allowed/game (3rd)
Diamondbacks: 5.18 runs scored/game (3rd), 5.14 runs allowed/game (26th)
Who’s hot: Ketel Marte is hitting .324/.411/.667 since the start of June and has homered in 8 of his last 13 games.
Who’s not: Utility player Tim Tawa is just 3-for-his-last-37 (.081).
Loves home cooking: Josh Naylor is hitting .345/.395/.527 at home. Eugenio Suárez has hit 18 of his 27 home runs at home.
Against Royals pitchers: Eugenio Suárez is 15-for-36 (.417) with two homers against Michael Wacha. Josh Naylor is 0-for-10 against Michael Lorenzen
Diamondbacks starting lineup
Starting Lineup
PA
HR
SB
BA
OBA
SLG
wRC+
fWAR
Starting Lineup
PA
HR
SB
BA
OBA
SLG
wRC+
fWAR
SS Geraldo Perdomo (S)
380
9
13
.269
.365
.418
119
2.8
2B Ketel Marte (S)
264
19
2
.299
.402
.603
174
3.2
DH Pavin Smith (L)
261
8
2
.262
.368
.448
128
0.9
1B Josh Naylor (L)
329
10
10
.303
.357
.471
129
1.3
3B Eugenio Suárez (R)
349
27
1
.250
.318
.561
138
2.3
LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R)
344
12
7
.251
.299
.422
98
0.5
RF Jake McCarthy (L)
78
2
2
.155
.218
.282
36
-0.2
CF Alek Thomas (L)
251
5
5
.245
.288
.369
81
0.4
C Jose Herrera (S)
137
1
0
.194
.313
.259
68
0.1
Bench
PA
HR
SB
BA
OBA
SLG
wRC+
fWAR
C James McCann (R)
15
1
0
.364
.533
.727
244
0.4
IF Blaze Alexander (R)
3
0
0
.000
.000
.000
-100
-0.1
IF Tim Tawa (R)
169
6
7
.199
.262
.358
69
0.0
OF Randal Grichuk (R)
150
4
0
.239
.280
.420
87
-0.2
Eduardo Rodriguez
Career against the Royals: 4-2, 4.09 ERA in 10 starts
Salvador Perez is 2-for-16 (.125) with a home run against him in his career
1.98 ERA in five starts in June.
91.8 mph fastball, cutter, sinker, hittable change up (.348 opponents average)
Ryne Nelson
Career against the Royals: 0-1, 6.55 ERA in 2 starts
1.61 ERA in his last four starts, all Diamondbacks wins.
Bobby Witt Jr. is 3-for-5 (.600) with a walk against him in his career
Relies heavily on an effective 95.5 mph fastball, with a slider, cutter, and curve.
Zac Gallen
Career against the Royals: 1-0, 3.06 ERA in three starts
Has allowed the most earned runs in baseball (63) and has the highest ERA (5.45) among qualified starters.
Second-highest hard-hit rate (36.9) among starters.
Throws a 93 mph fastball, knuckle curve, changeup, slider, and cutter.
Expected pitching matchup
Friday, July 4, 8:40 CT
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
Friday, July 4, 8:40 CT
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
LHP Kris Bubic
2.25
2.66
96.0
9.5
2.7
2.9
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
5.13
3.98
72.0
10.0
3.4
1.1
Saturday, July 5, 3:10 CT
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
RHP Michael Wacha
3.62
3.88
97.0
7.0
2.4
1.7
LHP Ryne Nelson
3.61
3.57
67.1
7.9
2.8
0.7
Sunday, July 6, 3:10 CT
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
RHP Michael Lorenzen
4.95
4.76
92.2
7.6
2.7
0.5
RHP Zac Gallen
5.45
4.98
104.0
8.5
3.6
-0.2
The Arizona bullpen has a 5.26 ERA (28th in MLB) with 17 blown saves (3rd-most).
Closer Shelby Miller has converted 10 of 15 save opportunities.
Jalen Beeks has a 9.00 ERA in 13 innings at home this year.
Lefties are hitting .281/.369/.439 against Ryan Thompson.
Diamondbacks bullpen
Bullpen
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
Bullpen
ERA
FIP
IP
K/9
BB/9
fWAR
RHP Shelby Miller
2.04
3.18
35.1
9.9
2.8
0.5
RHP Ryan Thompson
4.60
4.14
31.1
8.3
3.5
-0.1
LHP Kyle Backhus
1.08
1.41
8.1
10.8
2.2
0.3
RHP John Curtiss
6.00
1.76
3.0
6.0
0.0
0.1
LHP Jalen Beeks
4.62
3.76
39.0
8.5
3.5
0.2
RHP Kevin Ginkel
10.00
4.09
18.0
11.0
5.0
-0.1
RHP Jake Woodford
9.00
4.59
2.0
0.0
4.5
0.0
RHP Anthony DeSclafani
4.82
6.30
9.1
8.7
1.9
-0.1
Poll
How will the Royals fare this series against the Diamondbacks?
0%
Royals sweep 3-0
(0 votes)
0%
Royals take 2 of 3
(0 votes)
0%
Diamondbacks take 2 of 3
(0 votes)
0%
Diamondbacks sweep
(0 votes)
0 votes total