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<\/a><\/p>\n(AP Photo\/Stephanie Scarbrough)<\/p>\n
Bullpen ERA<\/p>\n
The Diamondbacks\u2019 bullpen had one stinker in Baltimore on Monday but was otherwise nails.<\/p>\n
As a group, Diamondbacks relievers compiled a 3.16 ERA in 31.1 innings with four saves and two blown saves. They went five straight games without an earned run, a stretch that included the entire Phillies series.<\/p>\n
Take out Monday\u2019s seven runs, and the bullpen ERA over the remaining eight games was 1.26.<\/p>\n
Arizona starters averaged 5.4 innings per outing, standard for today\u2019s MLB, which puts pressure on bullpens to handle a third or more of each game. Starters getting through six innings more consistently would take a load off a bullpen that has exceeded external expectations thus far.<\/p>\n
RISP<\/p>\n
With runners in scoring position, the Diamondbacks finished the trip with a .315 batting average in 89 at-bats.<\/p>\n
Entering Wednesday, Arizona\u2019s .880 OPS with runners in scoring position<\/a> since April 7 ranked fourth in the major leagues.<\/p>\n Despite all the injuries on offense, the D-backs\u2019 lineup recorded 44 RBIs in the nine games, largely thanks to timely hitting and athletic plays. Bunts for hits, infield singles, sacrifices (five bunts and four flies) and aggressive base running (going on contact from third base, for example) all played a role.<\/p>\n Doubles, doubles, doubles<\/p>\n What also helped the offense was the number of extra-base hits it compiled, and not many of those went over the fence. Arizona hit seven home runs in nine games, none until the fifth game on the trip in Philadelphia. Four of the seven were in the aforementioned opener in Baltimore that slipped away: two each from Marte and Nolan Arenado.<\/p>\n The D-backs racked up 24 doubles in nine games. Carroll hit five despite missing time.<\/p>\n The Diamondbacks lead the National League this year in doubles (42), with 5-foot-6 outfielder Jorge Barrosa third in the NL with seven \u2014 eight of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases.<\/p>\n 5 standout players (AP Photo\/Derik Hamilton)<\/p>\n Taylor Clarke-Ryan Thompson-Paul Sewald<\/p>\n This list would get pretty reliever-happy, so let\u2019s bundle this trio.<\/p>\n Clarke has not allowed a run in nine appearances since his brutal season debut on Opening Day. He struck out one batter in 5.2 innings on the road trip but allowed three hits, all singles and earned two holds and a win.<\/p>\n Thompson has not allowed a run this year in 11 appearances, tied for the most in MLB. He pitched six times on the nine-game trip and recorded arguably the biggest out (more on that later).<\/p>\n And Sewald went 3-for-3 in save situations on the East Coast with one hit in those three appearances. He gave up a walk-off single in the first game against the Mets, allowing the ghost runner to score, which is not an earned run but a knock on his execution.<\/p>\n Adrian Del Castillo<\/p>\n Del Castillo is on a six-game hitting streak and ended the Orioles series<\/a> with a no-doubt, 420-foot home run to give the D-backs the lead in the 10th inning.<\/p>\n Del Castillo drove in 10 runs over his last six games, giving the Diamondbacks some punch from the left side as the cleanup hitter against righties.<\/p>\n ADC YOU LATER. pic.twitter.com\/EZbFkibYK8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n He also successfully used an ABS challenge in the New York<\/a> opener to keep an at-bat alive before driving a game-tying, two-run single.<\/p>\n A positive sign for the catcher is that he has struck out once in his last four games.<\/p>\n With Moreno hitting the shelf<\/a>, the Diamondbacks have had to lean in Del Castillo as a defender behind the plate more than anticipated, an opportunity for him to earn trust back there.<\/p>\n Ildemaro Vargas<\/p>\n Vargas \u2014 who signed a minor league deal with the D-backs this past offseason \u2014 has been one of the most productive offseason signees in baseball so far. Vargas has recorded hits in his first 12 games played this season.<\/p>\n The switch-hitter\u2019s biggest swing on the trip was a go-ahead, three-run home run<\/a> in Tuesday\u2019s win over Baltimore, for which he set a new franchise record for consecutive games with a hit to start a season.<\/p>\n Speaking of doubles, Vargas hit four in eight games. He finished the trip hitting .333, helping to make up production for the slow starts from fellow infielders Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Arenado.<\/p>\n Jose Fernandez<\/p>\n The rookie Fernandez has continued to make things happen beyond his breakout debut at Chase Field two weeks ago.<\/p>\n Fernandez hit safely in seven of his last eight starts, and the D-backs are 10-2 when he starts games.<\/p>\n His single in the finale against New York chased Nolan McLean in the seventh inning, leading to a seven-run avalanche against the Mets\u2019 bullpen.<\/p>\n Fernandez singled to lead off a five-spot during the opener in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n And with two strikes in a one-run game during the eighth inning in the finale at Citizens Bank Park, Fernandez lined a single to left-center field off flamethrower Jose Alvarado to bring in the tying run. Del Castillo singled home Fernandez<\/a> to take the lead and claim the series.<\/p>\n The Kid comes through. pic.twitter.com\/VlhaYQdziS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Against Baltimore on Tuesday, Fernandez hit an RBI double to give the D-backs a key insurance run in a 4-3 win.<\/p>\n There is room for growth, certainly. He has not walked yet and is on a six-game strikeout streak. But his ability to slow down in big moments and put at-bats together has been critical to the Diamondbacks\u2019 success, providing a spark plug after coming up with one game of Triple-A experience.<\/p>\n Ryne Nelson<\/p>\n The starting rotation had some hits and misses on the trip but ended with a solid 3.67 ERA in 80.1 innings.<\/p>\n Nelson had the best showing with two starts totaling 11 innings, two earned runs and 12 strikeouts to two walks. The Diamondbacks went 1-1 in his outings, but the loss was the giant blown lead by the bullpen.<\/p>\n A couple honorable mentions are Carroll (.310 average with five doubles on the trip) and James McCann (5-for-12 with two doubles).<\/p>\n 3 critical moments that flipped series (AP Photo\/Chris Szagola)<\/p>\n Bounce back<\/p>\n The Diamondbacks could have been deflated by starting the Mets series with a walk-off loss in extra innings that involved a blown lead. The offense had scored 12 runs over its last six games.<\/p>\n Instead, the Diamondbacks rallied for five runs in the opening two innings off Mets starter David Peterson the following day, coasting to a 7-2 victory.<\/p>\n Carroll doubled twice in the first two innings, including a two-run knock to give Arizona a 4-0 lead.<\/p>\n Daily doubles. pic.twitter.com\/dX1xxBCJMW<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 5-run comeback<\/p>\n The first four Phillies hitters on Friday scored off Michael Soroka, but the right-hander settled in over the next 5.2 innings.<\/p>\n In the fifth, the Diamondbacks torched Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo \u2014 who threw four hitless innings to open the game \u2014 for five runs. McCann delivered the back-breaker, a go-ahead, two-run double the other way with two outs that infuriated the Philadelphia crowd in a 5-4 D-backs win.<\/p>\n Unleash the McCannimal. pic.twitter.com\/66anN15Wle<\/a><\/p>\n
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