The D-backs Will Strive to Stay Healthy and Get Their First Win in Seattle

Slade Cecconi will try to replicate what he did last weekend while Arizona tries to score against Mariners Ace George Kirby

Apr 21, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (14) / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost game one in Seattle by a score of 6-1. However, the more important news was that Zac Gallen exited the game with an injury. Reportedly, he should be okay as he left with Right Hamstring Tightness/Spasm. He will not require an MRI and there are no signs of anything worse going on. Gallen is expected to make his next start.

The Seattle Mariners are 14-12 and sit in first place in the AL West. The D-backs are in 4th place and sit at just 12-15. They are 4.5 games behind the Dodgers. The Mariners are 8-2 over their last 10 games and have a +9 run differential. The Diamondbacks are 4-6 over their last 10 and +30 in run differential. Game time is at 6:40 PM local time and is on D-backs TV.

Starting Pitchers

Slade Cecconi is starting for Arizona while Seattle sends out staff ace George Kirby. Cecconi is coming off a stellar season debut in which he filled in for the injured Merrill Kelly on a last-second notice. He pitched six innings last Sunday against the San Francisco Giants and allowed just two hits, two runs, and struck out three. His only mistake that game was a misplaced pitch that Mike Yastrzemski took deep.

Cecconi worked quickly and needed just 64 pitches to carve up the Giants' lineup. He consistently located his pitches and threw his slider over 85 mph the majority of the time. A key stat that leads to plenty of success for Cecconi if he can keep it up. Aside from the slider, Cecconi throws a four-seamer, changeup, and curveball. He mainly uses the first three and rarely throws the curve.

The D-backs need another outstanding start from Slade Cecconi if they hope to win today's game considering who the Mariners have on the mound. CY Young candidate George Kirby is looking to get his third win of the season tonight. On the year, he's 2-2 with a 5.33 ERA over five starts and 25.1 innings. He has given up 30 hits, 15 runs, three walks, and 26 strikeouts. His FIP is a strong 2.57.

The majority of his ERA damage came in a start April 3rd against the Guardians when he gave up eight runs in 3.2 innings. He followed that up with five runs allowed in just four innings against the Blue Jays. However, over his last two starts, 11 innings, Kirby has allowed just two runs, walked one, given up 10 hits, and struck out 13.

Kirby throws five pitches regularly with the ability to throw more as he's done in the past on random occasions. His five main ones that he can pinpoint locate anywhere in the zone are a four seamer, slider, sinker, knuckle curve, and split finger. The D-backs will have to be ready to swing as Kirby is one of the best pitchers in MLB that doesn't walk batters at all. He's walked just 2.7% of batters he's faced this year.

This is the first time either pitcher has faced the opposing team. There's no history against either of them.

Starting Lineup

The Diamondbacks and Mariners Lineups / Jake Oliver

The Diamondbacks have a right-handed heavy lineup to face Kirby this evening. This is unusual as Manager Torey Lovullo typically has a lefty-heavy lineup to face right-handed pitchers. However, Kirby has historically struggled much more against right-hand batters than against lefties. Over his career, lefties have hit just .235 with a .631 OPS. Right-handed hitters have hit .277 with a .734 OPS.

Lovullo is trying something new too with his lineup. He has McCarthy leading off for the first time this year. McCarthy is hitting .315 so this could work out well, but it's clear that Lovullo is trying to jump-start his offense. He's switched Marte and Gurriel Jr. around while balancing guys who walk and strike out often such as Pederson and Moreno sandwiching Suárez.

Corbin Carroll is hitting 8th, in the bottom third of the order of the order, for the third game in the row. This is being done to try to help alleviate some of the pressure off of Carroll and give him a mental reset. Blaze Alexander is back in the lineup and at shortstop.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 3-3 against Kirby in his career. Should Randal Grichuk be needed at all, he's 1-2 with a home run against Kirby.