Hey, we’re on national television! Though the way the offense has been playing over the past week or so, it feels like it’s more likely to be national humiliation. The D-backs have now scored one run in four consecutive games. It’s actually the fifth time in franchise history the hitters have managed that unwanted feat. The last time was perhaps more recently than you’d think: the end of last July, when Arizona scored just two runs over four games in Pittsburgh and Detroit. That was part of a streak of seven games where they failed to score more than two, and plated a total of just seven runs. Over that time, they had 246 PA with a slash of .179/.241/.256 for a .496 OPS.
You can throw in the night-cap of the double-header in San Francisco, and you currently get five games in a row where Arizona has scored two runs or fewer. The hitting has been marginally better, mostly through a few more walks. The D-backs over the last five contests and 171 PA, are batting .174/.251/.258 for an OPS which at least starts with a five, at .510. They haven’t been helped by a BABIP in that time of .229. While some of that is down to the recent flailings (sic) of Corbin ‘Infield Pop-up’ Carroll, they have had some bad luck with balls in play. But in September of a post-season chase, there are no such things as moral victories, only real ones.
If the offense continue its recent pattern, Brandon Pfaadt will need to be on top form. He has had four starts this year where he has not allowed a run, and another where the sole tally was unearned. Those include seven innings of two-hit shutout ball against division leaders in the Braves and Dodgers, so we know he can do it on occasion. But it sure would be helpful if he would get a little more to work with than the paltry single run we’ve seen from the Diamondbacks of late. I’d not mind tacos, and if the Yankees co-operate, taking back the third wild-card spot from the Padres by the end of the night.