D-backs Try to Salvage Series Finale Against Reds

The Diamondbacks are struggling. They've dropped the first two games of this three game series with the Reds and are 2-6 on their first road trip after the All Star Break. They will try to grab a win this morning, first pitch is at 10:40 A.M. MST, 1:40 P.M. EST

Roster Move

Recalled C Jose Herrera from Triple-A Reno.

Placed C Gabriel Moreno (left shoulder inflammation) on the 10-day injured list.

Moreno has been dealing with the sore shoulder for several weeks a was a late scratch from yesterday's lineup.

Standings

The Dodgers have opened up a 4.0 game lead over the D-backs and the Giants in the NL West. While far from a done deal, the hopes of being able to capture the division are fading. Accordingly the focus for Arizona has turn towards the Wild Card as their entry point to the post season. The National league is very tightly bunched however with five teams within one game of each other, and the Padres creeping closer at just 5.5 games back. It's notable that four of the top five teams are all on losing streaks.

Pitching Matchups

Jose Ruiz (2-1, 3.92 ERA, 4.78 FIP) will pitch at least the first inning for the D-backs in what will be a bullpen game. He has been a low leverage reliever for the team since being puchased from the White Sox on April 9th. In 33 games with Arizona he's thrown 39 innings, averaging 3.5 outs and 21 pitches in per game. That's the most pitches and outs per game in relief of any reliever for the team other than Drey Jameson. The D-backs have a nine man bullpen and just about everybody should be available for the game.

Luke Weaver RHP, (2-2, 7.22 ERA, 5.88 FIP) is going for Cincinnati. The former Diamondback was signed to a free agent contract this past off season. Last year he was traded to the Royals at the deadline for Emmanuel Rivera. Weaver had made 16 starts and thrown 76 innings for the Reds, but few of them have been good. He's failed to complete even five innings in six of his last eight starts. Most recently he lasted just 2.2 innings against the Giants, giving up four runs on four hits, including two homers. Weaver has given up 100 hits, including 19 homers this year.

Weaver had a good start with the Diamondbacks in 2019, going 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA in 12 starts before suffering an elbow injury in late May of that year. He's never been able to get right since then however going 7-18 with a 6.12 ERA in 67 games including 42 starts. His fastball still averages 93.8 MPH, and he throws a changeup, cutter and curveball. Only the curve has been effective this year but he doesn't use it very much, just 14% of the time.

Lineups

The Diamondbacks offense was a strength through the first three months of the year, averaging 5.2 runs per game through June 27th. They've sputtered since then averaging 3.9 runs per game, which includes a 16 run outburst against Atlanta on July 18th. Taking that game out, the average falls to 3.3. The results have been a 6-13 record.

The Reds by contrast have recovered from a brief five game batting slump by turning things around quickly to average 6.2 per game over their last five games, hitting .274 with 10 homers in this stretch.