D-backs Open Four-Game Series Against Padres at Chase Field

The Diamondbacks come home after a 3-3 road trip to Miami and St. Louis. The big news item of the day is the team designating Madison Bumgarner for assignment. The first team they'll face is the San Diego Padres, who will be receiving a big boost to their lineup today with Fernando Tatis Jr. eligible to play action after serving an 80-game suspension for performing enhancing drugs.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo stated that the conversation he had with Bumgarner was "up there" for one of the toughest in his career. With the team's 11-8 start, the front office felt the urgency to make moves to win more ball games.

Follow the Game

Television: Bally Sports Arizona Extra (ARI); Bally Sports San Diego (SD)

Radio: ESPN Phoenix 620 AM (ARI), KHOV Univision 105.1 (Spanish, ARI); KWFN 97.3 FM, XEMO 860

Starting Pitching Matchup

RHP Ryne Nelson (1-0, 3.71 ERA, 10/5 K/BB, 17 IP) - For the fourth time in his first seven career starts, Nelson will face the San Diego Padres. In his three previous career starts, the 25-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA and a 13/7 strikeout to walk ratio in 17.1 innings. In his last start, Nelson went six innings and allowed just one run and received a no-decision when the bullpen couldn't hold a 2-1 lead. While he hasn't produced very many whiffs, the young hurler has done a good job of avoiding loud contact this season.

Being more efficient in the first inning will be key for Nelson to continue his run of quality starts. In his three starts this season, he's thrown 32, 28, and 30 pitches in the first inning. His efficiency in the middle innings has been much better, as Nelson has only allowed one run in innings 4-6 vs. six runs in innings 1-3.

His fastball is down a tick to 94 MPH and has introduced a cutter to complement his fastball and slider combination. The cutter averages 85 MPH compared to a slider that averages 81 MPH, so he can change speeds with the two pitches.

RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 6.06 ERA, 15/5 K/BB, 16.1 IP) - Wacha has been up and down this season for the Padres. After winning his first two starts, he had rough start against the Brewers, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. In seven career starts against Arizona, Wacha is 2-1 with a 3.82 ERA and a 34/17 strikeout to walk ratio in 35 innings.

Wacha averages 92 MPH on his 4-seam fastball, mixing in a changeup, cutter, and curveball. The changeup is his best pitch, thrown over 30% of the time, and something D-backs hitters need to be wary of at the plate. Expect Arizona to be aggressive against his fastball early in the count, as opposing hitters have a .452 wOBA against the heater vs. a .253 wOBA against the change.

Lineups

Only six D-backs have faced Wacha in the past. Gurriel had 12 at-bats against the 31-year-old right-hander when both were in the AL East in 2021-2022, batting .167. Longoria and Moreno are the only other two hitters to have a hit. Ketel Marte, who is 0-for-3 against Wacha in his career will be

This is the second straight game in which Carroll bats third for the D-backs. Yesterday he was 2-for-3 with a double and two walks in his first start batting in that spot in the order. Lovullo said Carroll is "controlling the zone, starting to draw walks, and barreling the baseball" and felt it was the right time to move him up in the lineup.

Soto has homered in each of his last two games facing Nelson. Back on April 2nd, he hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first.

Health Updates

Carson Kelly has been receiving behind the plate, doing light cardio. Kelly was catching Mantiply when the latter was throwing a sim game. They still need to have his forearm examined by a doctor, but Lovullo feels his catcher is close to being able to swing the bat.

Right-hander Zach Davies is still in the treatment phase of his rehab, but is close to starting a throwing program.

Listen to Lovullo down below

Add us as a preferred source on Google