D-backs to Try Again to Solve Texas Rangers in a Day Game

The Arizona Diamondbacks play the Texas Rangers in a day game in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday at 11:35 A.M. Arizona time. The Rangers took the two-game series opener Tuesday night by a score of 4-2 behind a three-run homer from Corey Seager.

The D-backs took three of four regular season games from the Rangers in 2023, but have lost five of the last six contests between the two teams, including four of five in the World Series.

Despite the entire offense being mired in a slump, none moreso than Corbin Carroll, Torey Lovullo has opted to stay with more or less that same lineup, with Carroll leading off again. Earlier today Inside the Diamondbacks examined whether Lovullo should make a change at the top. Today is not that day.

Lineups

The only changes from yesterday are Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is back in the lineup, playing left field, and Tucker Barnhart replaces Gabriel Moreno behind the plate for the day game after night. Jake McCarthy slides over to right field.

The only hitter in the lineup with significant plate appearances against Dunning is Eugenio Suarez with 17. He's just 3-14, .214 BA with two walks and two RBI against the right hander.

Dunning is 3-3 with a 4.43 ERA and 4.93 FIP in 2024. In one career start against Arizona in 2021 he got the win going 6.1 innings allowing just two runs. Most of those players are no longer on the Diamondbacks however. Dunning made three scoreless relief appearances in the World Series, throwing 2.1 innings without allowing a run.

Beating the Rangers has seemingly boiled down to simply not letting Corey Seager beat them. That's been exceedingly difficult for Arizona to avoid. Seager smashed three homers against the D-backs in the World Series last year, including a game tying two run shot in the bottom of the ninth of game one. The Rangers went on to win that game in extra innings.

Echoing game three of the World Series where Seager homered off Brandon Pfaadt, last night's homer was the decisive blow once again. There were runners on first and third at the time, and Pfaadt had already intentionally walked Seager earlier in the game. But without first base open Lovullo elected to let Pfaadt pitch to Seager and a hung sweeper was drilled over the wall.

Seager is on an 11 game hitting streak in which he's hit .350 with eight homers. For this game, it might be wise to give him the barry bonds treatment and just walk him unless the bases are empty or full. Maybe even when they're full.

Ryne Nelson, 3-3, 6.03 ERA has never faced the Rangers in the regular season. He threw an impressive 5.1 innings in long relief in the World Series, giving up just one run on three hits, no walks and six strikeouts.

In his most recent outing Nelson threw five scoreless innings as the "bulk" pitcher in a game started against the Dodgers by opener Brandon Hughes. He gave up five hits and three walks and had to work out of several jams.

The Diamondbacks are 25-29 and in desperate need of win before heading off to New York to play the Mets in a four game series starting Thursday.