ST. LOUIS — Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez threw three innings and 55 pitches in a simulated game on May 24, manager Torey Lovullo said.
It is not clear what will come next for Rodriguez, who is on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation, but Lovullo made it sound like when Rodriguez returns, he will reclaim his rotation spot despite his struggles before the injury.
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“I feel like he deserves that,” Lovullo said. “He was one of our guys to start the season and he got hurt. In my opinion, he deserves to fall back into the rotation.”
Rodriguez was serviceable from a results perspective early in the season — he logged a 4.40 ERA through his first five starts — and might have actually been pitching better than his numbers showed.
But things backed up for him in a big way after that. Over his four starts before landing on the IL, he gave up 24 runs (21 earned) in 16 innings, allowing 28 hits (including five homers) while issuing 11 walks.
His replacement in the rotation, right-hander Ryne Nelson, allowed one run in five innings in a start at Dodger Stadium last week.
Diamondbacks at Cardinals, 11:15 a.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-3, 3.81) vs. Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (5-1, 4.02).
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At Busch Stadium: Pfaadt gave up three runs in six innings in a win at Dodger Stadium last week, the second time he has beaten the Dodgers this month. … Still, he is in a bit of an uneven stretch; over his past four starts, he has allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in 21 innings. … He has faced the Cardinals twice in his career, both starts coming last year. He allowed eight runs in 11 1/3 innings in those outings. … Gray is coming off a dominant outing against the Detroit Tigers, striking 10 over six scoreless innings. He gave up just three hits and walked one. … He has had three such dominant, scoreless performances this year but has yet to string together multiple impressive outings. … He has faced the Diamondbacks only once in his career, giving up four runs (two earned) in 6 1/3 innings in a start in 2015.
Coming up
May 26: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (1-1, 4.60) vs. Pirates LHP Andrew Heaney (3-3, 2.91).
May 27: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Corbin Burnes (3-2, 2.73) vs. Pirates RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 7.20).
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May 28: At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (3-6, 5.25) vs. Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (3-5, 2.36).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: DBacks vs. Cardinals: Eduardo Rodriguez logs sim game