Zac Gallen Gets National Audience on Peacock vs. Tigers

The Diamondbacks ace will have a chance to show the rest of the country how good he is

The Diamondbacks (39-25) go for the sweep against the Tigers (26-36) this morning on National T.V. at 8:35 A.M. Arizona Time, 11:35 EST.  The game is being broadcast on Peacock, and can also be heard on radio  98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station, KQMR Latino Mix 100.3 FM

The Diamondbacks are 2.5 games up on the Dodgers in the NL West and have the second best record in the National League behind only the Atlanta Braves at 40-24.  They are 8-2 in their last 10, and 14-6 in their last 20.  The Tigers have lost eight in a row and 10 of their last 11. 

Pitching Matchup

NOTE: Due to a last minute lineup change, the Tigers are going with an opener today in Will Vest. It's presumed that Wentz will still come into the game after Vest

Zac Gallen gets to pitch on National T.V. today and show the rest of the country what those watching in Arizona have seen for the last two years. Gallen is one of the leading contenders for the National League Cy Young award and appears headed to his first All Star Game. He followed up last year's franchise record 44.1 scoreless innings streak by posting 28 consecutive scoreless innings earlier this year. He leads the league in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and K/BB ratio,  is 3rd in WHIP and 4th in ERA.

Gallen has been human over his last seven starts however, posting a 3.29 ERA while giving up more hits than innings pitched. He's 3-1 but the team is 3-4 in his last seven outings. Most recently he gave up three runs, two earned on nine hits to the Braves over six innings, taking a no decision in a Diamondbacks 8-5 loss.

Joey Wentz was a first round draft pick by the Braves in 2016, 40th overall. Traded to the Tigers in 2019, he missed the 2020 season and had a lackluster 2021. He broke through last year however, posting a 3.17 ERA in Triple-A and getting a call up.  He responded with  a 3.03 ERA in seven starts.  That success has not been maintained into this year however. He's failed to go five innings in any of his last five starts and seven of his 12 starts overall. 

Wentz throws four pitches, a Fastball (94MPH), Cutter, Curveball, and Changeup. The Change has been his only marginally effective pitch this year. He's been hit extremely hard, giving up 69 hits including 12 homers in his 51 innings pitched. 

Lineups

Torey Lovullo is running out mostly the same lineup he had yesterday except Evan Longoria is in at 3rd base in place of Emmanuel Rivera who was cooled off yesterday going 0-4 with two strikeouts.  Longoria is hitting .286 with a .916 OPS, including four homers in 61 plate appearances against left-hand pitching this year.  

Despite going hitless yesterday, over his last five games Corbin Carroll is 10 for his last 21, .476, with four homers, eight RBI and two stolen bases. One thing to keep an eye on with Carroll is a large platoon split. While he has held his own against left-hand pitching, there is a large gap in the On Base and Slugging percentages compared to his work against righties. Table Link.

Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera is back in the lineup for the second straight game. He had two doubles yesterday on his bobble head day. The Tigers have been ice cold at the plate in June, batting a combined .158 and averaging just 1.8 runs per game over eight games this month.