Record: 20-20. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2025: -1.
It’s amazing to think that, not long ago, the D-backs’ rotation was going through one of the most wretched sequences in team history. On May 1st, here’s what Arizona’s starting pitchers had done over the previous two turns through the rotation:
AZ rotation: 39 IP, 67 H, 48 ER, 24 BB, 33 SO, 11.08 ERA
It was enough to compel manager Torey to have a meeting – unusually, with the entire group – when the team was in Chicago. “I let them know what was on my mind,” Lovullo said – adding ominously, “It was a one-way conversation.”
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Well, whatever he said, I hope it’s available in a format suitable for framing. Because it’s as if the talent switch was flicked in their brains, to the ON position. Tonight was just the latest example, Michael Soroka tossing 6.1 scoreless innings as the D-backs battled their way to the second 1-0 win of the season (the first being on April 1 against Detroit). That’s now seven starts in a row where the starter has gone six-plus innings, and in all but one of those, they have also allowed one or zero runs. The total numbers across this period:
AZ rotation: 47.2 IP, 27 H, 8 ER, 15 BB, 40 SO, 1.51 ERA
I guess it’s kinda galling that the team is only 4-3 in that time, because the offense has been as limp and flaccid as… [looks over shoulder at SB Nation’s Standards and Practices department] a limp, flaccid thing. But on the other hand, we’re at the quarter-mark on the season, and the team has already picked up four wins where they scored two runs or fewer. They only had five such victories in all of 2025, and just two in 2024. For what it’s worth, the Diamondbacks are also 12-1 when scoring more than five runs. We know what a problem that was last season: Arizona was only 4-3 when scoring 11+ runs in 2025.
What this all means, I don’t really know. It certainly makes for exciting baseball, when every swing of the bat could result in a lead change. It also makes for quick games, which the recapper welcomes. This one lasted only 2:21, and it would have been less except for Texas making every single one of their pitching changes in the middle of an inning. And there were a few, despite the score. Planned starter Nathan Eovaldi was scratched, and so the Rangers had to go with a bullpen game. Probably less an issue for them than most teams, considering they came in with an MLB-best 2.80 ERA, close to half a run better than anyone else.
The late change in plans didn’t seem to bother Arizona. Three batters in, they took a 1-0 lead, Geraldo Perdomo following up Corbin Carroll’s double, with one of his own. Little did we know that it would be the last time either side would cross home plate. Indeed, scoring opportunities in general would be few and far between. The best probably came to the D-backs in the eighth. With one out, Ketel Marte doubled, Carroll walked, and Perdomo singled to left, loading the bases. But Jose Fernandez went down swinging (he’s now 3-for-26 since April 26th, with nine strikeouts) and Ildemaro Vargas (5-for-36 since briefly brushing .400) grounded out.
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Meanwhile, the Rangers only had three at-bats with a runner in scoring position. All of them came in the bottom of the opening frame. Marte booted what should have been an double-play, after the first two Rangers singled off Soroka. He still got the hitter at first, so it won’t go down as an error. But it meant Texas had men on second and third with one out, rather than just third with two outs. Fortunately, Soroka got out of the jam, helped by a key strikeout of Josh Jung, and was never trouble thereafter. Arizona was helped by some key plays on defense: Gabriel Moreno nailed a SB attempt, Ryan Waldschmidt had a fine catch in center (above), and Taylor Clarke picked a runner off first.
Soroka seemed to get better as he went on. He retired 11 batters in a row before allowing a lead-off single in the sixth, and was remarkably efficient with it. After needing 23 pitches in the first, thanks in part to Marte, his pitch counts for the next four innings were 13, 12, 6 and 8. Soroka did need 24 pitches for the sixth, and that might be why he was pulled with one out in the seventh. He was at 89 pitches, which is about his average. It’s worth noting that while he did go over 100 against the White Sox, his next time out was far and away his worst start of the year. So this might have been Lovullo playing the long game, ensuring Michael isn’t overtaxed.
The bullpen did it’s duty, with Brandyn Garcia finishing the seventh, Clarke working the eighth, and Paul Sewald notching his ninth save. He’s our first closer since Brad Boxberger in 2018 to reach that number of saves in the first 40 games. That did involve him facing Corey Seager with two outs. Of course, we all remember Game 1 of the 2023 World Series, where Seager hit a game-tying 2-run homer off Sewald, Texas winning in extra innings. Tonight though, Sewald hit Seager instead, on the ankle. While that brought the winning run to the plate, a harmless fly-ball ended the game, and the D-backs were back to .500 again.
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You’ll have noticed the offense is notable by its absence from this recap. That’s because the offense were, again, notable by their absence. They could muster only six hits and two walks. Nolan Arenado doubled and singled, as did Perdomo, while Carroll drew both walks in addition to his double. But in the end, they did just enough to secure victory.
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com
I Feel Love: Michael Soroka, +44%
He Works Hard for The Money: Sewald, +19%; Clarke, +14%; Perdomo, +11%
Macarthur Park: Ildemaro Vargas, -14%
A bright and energetic Gameday Thread, passing 300 comments without difficulty. If we were still playing the Mets, I’d continue the musical theme and nominate Dan’s version of Money For Nothing. But that joke’s time has passed and it’s too big to screen-cap. 🙂 So, instead, I’ll give it to the very Dan-adjacent TheRealRamona:
Same two teams tomorrow, and we will see whether a) the offense wakes up, and b) the rotation can keep up its miraculous resurrection. Zac Gallen starts, with first pitch in Texas at 5:05 pm. See you then! I’m off to watch 20 Million Miles to Earth.