ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs’ 24 wins are third most in the NL, behind the Dodgers (29) and Braves (28).
♦ The D-backs are second in the NL West (23 days in/tied for first place from April 2-30).
♦ Brandon Pfaadt is making his fourth career start.
♦ Gabriel Moreno has reached base safely in 10 of his last 11 games, is hitting .368 (14-for-38)/.429 OBP with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 4 walks.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo has homered in 2 of his last 3 road games and in his last 9 road games is hitting .464 (13-for28)/1.373 OPS with 2 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI, 3 walks.
ROSTER MOVES
♦ The D-backs selected RHP Austin Adams from Triple-A Reno (No. 55), placed LHP Anthony Misiewicz (strained right calf) on the 15-day injured list and transferred C Carson Kelly (right forearm fracture) to the 60-day injured list.
GETTING ON BASE AND DRAWING FREE PASSES
♦ Since April 24, the D-backs’ .355 OBP leads the Majors ahead of the Red Sox (.352), Braves (.341) and Rays (.337).
♦ Since April 24, the D-backs’ 96 walks (22 games) are tied for second in the Majors (Padres, 96 BB in 21 G), behind the Dodgers (98 BB, 23 G).
OH, LOURDES!
♦ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is batting .404 (19-for-47)/1.394 OPS with 5 doubles (1 walk-off ), 6 homers, 12 RBI and 8 walks during his career-high-tying 12-game hitting streak ( also: July 11-Aug. 24, 2018), which is tied for the second-longest active streak in the Majors, tied for the longest by a D-back this season (Corbin Carroll).
♦ In his last 11 road games, is hitting .317 (13-for-41)/1.002 OPS with 2 doubles, 3 homers, 7 RBI and 6 walks.
SHOWING OUT ON SATURDAYS
♦ The D-backs offense, in 7 Saturday games, leads the Majors with .316 average, is second with .522 SLG, fourth with .875 OPS, fifth with .352 OBP and sixth with 44 runs.
♦ Christian Walker, in 7 Saturday games, is hitting .423 (11-for-26)/1.203 OPS with 3 homers and 8 RBI.
♦ Lourdes Gurriel Jr., in 6 Saturday games, is hitting .409 (9-for-22)/1.162 OPS with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer and 4 RBI.
KETEL BEING KETEL
♦ Ketel Marte’s 19-game on-base streak (1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 2 HBP) is the fourth-longest active streak in the Majors and 3 games shy of his career-long streak (22, Aug 2-29, 2019).
♦ Has reached base in 12 straight road games , hitting .378 (17-for-45)/1.1633 OPS with 1 triple, 4 homers, 9 RBI and 6 walks.
YOUNG ‘BACKS
♦ The D-backs’ 27.8 roster age is tied for third-youngest in the Majors with the A’s and Rays, behind the Guardians (26.4) and Orioles (27.7) and ahead of the Nationals, Angels, Phillies and Mariners (28.0).
D-FENSE! D-FENSE!
♦ The D-backs’ .990 fielding pct. is tied for fourth in the Majors with the Astros and Mariners behind the Padres (.993), Rays (.991) and Mets (.991).
♦ Josh Rojas’ 6 Outs Above Average (OAA) are tied for fourth most in the Majors with Bobby Witt Jr./KC behind Eugenio Suárez/SEA (8), Xander Bogaerts/SD (7) and Ke’Bryan Hayes/PIT (7)…Christian Walker’s 5 OAA are tied for sixth (5 others).
♦ Dominic Fletcher’s 4 defensive runs saved lead the team (min. 100.0 IP) followed by Gabriel Moreno (3) and Geraldo Perdomo (3).
STARTING PITCHER – RHP BRANDON PFAADT ♦ #32
AT A GLANCE: •Selected by the D-backs in the fifth round of the 2020 First-Year Player draft out of Bellarmine University…was the second-highest draft pick behind Todd Wellemeyer (4th round, 2000) and ninth all-time.
- The D-backs’ 2022 Minor League Pitcher of the Year led the organization in wins, ERA and strikeouts…went 11-7 with a 3.83 ERA (71 ER in 167.0 IP), 218 strikeouts and 1.16 WHIP in 29 starts at Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno.
- Attended Bellarmine University for 3 years (2018-20).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is making his fourth career start, second on the road.
- Looking for his first Major League win.
- Entered the season rated as the D-backs’ No. 4 prospect by The Athletic (No. 38 overall) and MLB Pipeline (No. 59 overall) and No. 5 by Baseball America.
LAST START : Did not factor in the decision after holding the Giants to 1 run over 5.0 innings on May 14 @ Chase Field… allowed his lone run on a solo home run to Michael Conforto in the fourth inning.
VS. PIRATES: Is making his fi rst career start.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES: Began their six-game homestand with a 13-3 win Friday night against the Diamondbacks…Have won three of their last four games after losing four straight from 5/9-13…Won seven straight games from 4/17-23, their longest winning streak since 2018 (11 games)…Are tied for first place in the National League Central…Are also tied with Milwaukee for the fourth-best record in the National League.
KEEPING UP WITH CUTCH’S MILESTONES: Andrew McCutchen comes into today just two hits shy of 1500 in his career as a member of the Pirates (he
will become the 12th player in club history to reach that milestone)…McCutchen ranks 12th on the team’s all-time hits list coming into today…Roberto Clemente leads the way with 3000 hits while Tommy Leach is 11th (1603)…McCutchen is also 17 hits shy of 2000 and three doubles shy of four hundred for his career.
KELLER’S STELLAR WEEK IN REVIEW: Mitch Keller will make his 10th start of the season this afternoon in game two of this series against arizona…Keller was named the National League’s Player-of-the-Week on Monday for the week of May 8-14…He recorded his first career complete game and shutout on May 8 against Colorado and punched out a career-high 13 batters in 7.0 scoreless innings in his last start Sunday at Baltimore…The 27-year-old righthander became the first Pirates pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to have a two-start span in which he did not allow a run with 20-plus strikeouts and no more than one walk allowed according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
THE MATURATION OF MITCH: Mitch Keller became the first Pirates righthander to strike out at least 13 batters in a game on Sunday since Jose DeLeon had a club-record tying 14 on April 16, 1985, vs. the New York Mets…He also became the first Pirates pitcher in team history to have a start of at least 7.0 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts and no walks according to Baseball Reference.
CASHING IN AT PNC: Mitch Keller is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA (27.0ip/6er) in four starts this season at PNC Park (his 2.00 ERA is the seventh-lowest among National League pitchers)…Since his home start on September 6 of last year, Keller is 4-1 with a 1.77 ERA (56.0ip/11er) in nine starts along the banks of the Allegheny River…Keller’s 1.77 home ERA since September 6 is the second-lowest in all of MLB among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings, trailing only Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers (1.53).
MAKE THAT A DOUBLE: Carlos Santana doubled in his first at-bat Friday for his 14th of the season, which is tied for fifth in the National League… Santana is now two doubles shy of becoming the 21st Dominican-born player to record at least 350 doubles.
THIS AND THAT: Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has recorded a 1.67 ERA (43.0ip/8er) in the team’s last five games while recording 51 strikeouts during the stretch…The Pirates have the fourth-best run differential (+23) among all National League teams…The Pirates have recorded 31 hits in their last two games…It’s the first time for the Bucs to record at least 31 hits in two games since August 31-September 1, 2019 (32 hits).
ON THE MEND: Right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez is expected to make his first rehab start tonight with Triple-A Indianapolis in game one of a doubleheader against Iowa…Velasquez has been on the 15-day injured list since May 5 with right elbow inflammation…Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks, also on rehab, is also expected to start one of the games.
COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH: The Pirates rank third in all of MLB with a .282 batting average with runners in scoring position…The only two teams to produce a higher average with RISP are the Rangers (.332) and Red Sox (.295).
STARTING PITCHER – 23 – RHP MITCH KELLER
MITCH KELLER: The 27-year-old righthander will make his 10th start of the season today…He struck out a career-high 13 batters, did not issue a walk, and won a 4-0 decision against the Orioles in his last start Sunday at Camden Yards.
vs. ARIZONA:1-0 in one career start…Allowed three runs in 5.1 innings while winning a 6-4 decision against Madison Bumgarner on 8/10/22.
