ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
BEST IN THE WEST
♦ The D-backs are first place in the NL West and carry the NL’s second-best record, behind the Braves (38-24), as well as MLB’s fifth-best record, behind the Rays (46-19), Rangers (40-21), Orioles (38-24) and Braves (38-24).
- Arizona has spent 31 days in/tied for first place this season.
♦ The last time Arizona was 1.5+ games up in the NL West was Aug. 30, 2018 (+1.5).
POSTPONED IN D.C.
♦ Yesterday’s game vs. Nationals was postponed due to air quality conditions and will be made up on June 22.
♦ With their 2 victories in D.C., the D-backs claimed their fifth series win in their last 7.
VS. TIGERS
♦ The D-backs will face the Tigers @ Comerica Park for the fiRst time since June 13-14, 2017 (2-0)…it is their first 3-game series @ Tigers since June 24-26, 2011 (1-2).
♦ The D-backs are 4-3 in their last 7 matchups (since 2015).
TOREY & THE TIGERS
♦ D-backs manager Torey Lovullo was selected by the Tigers in the fifth round of the 1987 draft and played 2 seasons with Detroit (1988-89).
He made his MLB debut on Sept. 10, 1988 @ Yankees and singled off Rick Rhoden…hit his first HR on Sept. 25, 1988 @ Orioles (off Jose Bautista).
Was traded to the Yankees on March 19, 1991 for RHP Mark Leiter.
INTERLEAGUE IMPRESSIONS
♦ The D-backs are 6-5 (.545) in Interleague Play this season (Royals, Rangers, Athletics and Red Sox).
♦ Corbin Carroll ranks among MLB leaders in interleague play in OBP (5th, .463), SLG (6th, .688) and AVG (8th, .344).
♦ Christian Walker has 5 homers in his last 7 games vs. AL opponents.
CORBIN BARRELS
♦ On Wednesday, Corbin Carroll collected his first career 4-hit performance (4-for-5, HR, SB)…in his last 9 games, he is batting .412 (14-for-34)/1.222 OPS with 2 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI, 4 walks and 4 stolen bases.
♦ Carroll ranks among qualified MLB rookies in XBH (1st, 27), runs (T-1st and T-9th overall, 43), home runs (T-2nd, 11), stolen bases (T-2nd and T-5th overall, 18), average (3rd, .300), OBP (5th, .387), RBI (6th, 27) and walks (5th, 26).
♦ Carroll is just 1 of 2 MLB players this season to have 3 instances of 1+ homers and 1+ stolen bases in a game (also: Juan Soto/SD).
♦ He is the first D-back to have 4+ hits in a game with 1+ homers and 1+ stolen bases in a game since 2015 (Ender Inciarte, Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock).
SCORING EARLY & OFTEN
♦ Since May 25, the D-backs’ offense in the first and second innings ranks among the Majors in fewest strikeouts (1st, 14), runs (2nd, 25), hits (2nd, 38), average (2nd, .349), OPS (2nd, .976), stolen bases (T-2nd, 6) and home runs (T-4th, 6).
HIT PARADE
♦ The D-backs’ 6 games with 15+ hits this season are tied for third in the Majors (also: Pirates), behind the Nationals (8) and Rangers (7).
BASE THIEVES
♦ Arizona’s 62 stolen bases through the team’s first 62 games are the most in franchise history, ahead of 2015 (56), 2009 (56) and 1999 (56).
TRENDING SNAKES
♦ Emmanuel Rivera, in his last 8 games, is batting .429 (12-for-28)/1.002 OPS with 3 doubles, 3 RBI and 2 walks.
♦ Christian Walker, in his last 5 games, is batting .368 (7-for-19) with 2 doubles, 1 RBI and 2 walks.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
♦ The D-backs’ 36 straight games with an extra-base hit is tied for the Majors’ second-longest active streak, behind the Angels (37) and Dodgers (37)…it is the fourth longest in a season in club history (franchise high is 69 games; July 18-Oct. 7, 2001).
ROAD WARRIORS
♦ The D-backs’ 17-11 (.607) road record through their first 28 road games is the second best in franchise history, 1 win less than the 2001 World Series Champion D-backs at this point (18-10; .643).
STARTING PITCHER – RHP MERRILL KELLY ♦ #29
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: In his last 7 starts (5 quality), is 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA (12 ER in 44.1 IP), .189 opponent average, 11 walks and 52 strikeouts…has allowed 1 earned run with at least 6.0 IP in 4 of those 7 outings.
- In 5 road starts (3 quality), is 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA (5 ER in 27.2 IP), .208 opponent average (18-for-83), 8 walks and 25 strikeouts.
- The D-backs are 6-1 in his last 7 starts.
- His .194 opponent average ranks third in the NL behind Marcus Stroman/CHC (.186) and Spencer Strider/ATL (.193).
- When leading off an inning, holding batters to a .162 average (11-for-68) with 21 strikeouts.
LAST START: Earned his fourth consecutive win on June 2 vs. Braves (2 ER in 7.0 IP, 8 K)…allowed homers to Eddie Rosario in the second and seventh inning.
- Recorded his 571st career strikeout in the seventh inning, passing Dan Haren (570), for seventh all-time among Dbacks starters in strikeouts. VS. TIGERS: Lost his lone start @ Chase Field on June 24, 2022…(4 ER in 6.0 IP).
INTERLEAGUE INSIGHT: Is 7-5 with a 3.89 ERA (36 ER in 83.1 IP), 82 strikeouts, a 1.03 WHIP and .215 opponent average in 14 starts vs. AL opponents.
NL RANKINGS: Ranks among NL starters in wins (T-2nd, 7), WHIP (4th, 1.08) and ERA (6th, 2.80).
ROAD WARRIOR: Since the start of 2022, his 12 road wins are tied for the most among NL starters with Julio Urias/LAD.
- Has 12 quality starts in his last 21 road starts.
VS. LEFT AND RIGHT: Limiting lefties to a .180 average (23-for 128) with 39 strikeouts and righties to a .208 average (25 for-120) with 38 strikeouts.
DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS DROP FINALE TO PHILLIES: The Tigers lost the series finale to the Phillies, 3-2, last night. Nick Maton and Zack Short each had a hit and a RBI, while Javier Baez and Tyler Nevin each contributed a hit. Tyler Holton was the opener for Detroit, pitching a hitless inning with one walk and one strikeout. Reese Olson pitched 5.0 innings, giving up a run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Jason Foley and Chasen Shreve each worked a scoreless inning in relief.
ROSTER MOVES: The Tigers have announced the following roster moves:
*Optioned INF Tyler Nevin to Triple A Toledo
*Reinstated OF Kerry Carpenter from the 10-day injured list
*Claimed INF Nick Solak off waivers from Atlanta and optioned him to Triple A Toledo
*To make room for Solak on the 40-man roster, transferred RHP Spencer Turnbull to the 60-day injured list
GET SHORTY: Zack Short went 1×3 with a RBI in last night’s series finale at Philadelphia. Short recorded a hit in each game against the Phillies and has hit safely in 10 of his last 13 contests, over which he is batting .324/.425/.500 with two home runs and nine RBI.
BULLPEN BITS: Chasen Shreve struck out the side in his only inning of work last night. Since the start of May, Shreve has not given up a run in 10-of-13 appearances, posting a 2.13 ERA (12.2IP/3ER) with 16 strikeouts…Jason Foley pitched a scoreless inning last night, lowering his season ERA to 1.37 (26.1IP/4ER). Among American League relievers with 25.0 innings pitched, Foley ranks fourth in FIP (2.13), fifth in ERA and eighth in WHIP (0.99).
MOVIN’ ON UP: Miguel Cabrera enters tonight’s game within striking distance of Dave Winfield on the MLB all-time hits list. Cabrera begins
tonight’s contest with 3,108 hits in his big league career, two away from tying Winfield for 22nd in MLB history. Additionally, Cabrera has 1,136 extra-base hits in his career, two shy of tying Ty Cobb (1,138) for 15th in big league history.
TIGERS AND DIAMONDBACKS: The Tigers and Diamondbacks begin their only series of the season tonight. The two teams met last season in Arizona with Detroit winning two-of-three games. The Diamondbacks lead the all-time series 20-17, including a 9-8 edge at Comerica Park.
INTERLEAGUE ACTION: The Tigers continue their interleague schedule tonight against the Diamondbacks. Detroit is 11-8 against National League foes this season, including a 2-0 record against NL West teams. The Tigers have finished with a winning record against NL opponents in each of the last two seasons.
AT COMERICA PARK: The Tigers tonight begin a six-game homestand, which includes three games vs. Arizona (June 9-11) and three games vs. Atlanta (June 12-14). Detroit is 14-13 at home this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .236/.314/.366 at Comerica Park, while the pitching staff has a 4.46 ERA (248.0IP/123ER).
TIGERS ON THE IL:
- RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 60-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
- RHP Alex Faedo (right middle finger discomfort, 15-day IL on June 3, retroactive to May 31)
- OF Riley Greene (left fibula stress reaction, 10-day IL on May 31)
- RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 60-day IL on April 12)
- OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 60-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
- RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
- RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (left index finger pulley rupture, 15-day IL on May 30, retroactive to May 29)
- LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
- RHP Spencer Turnbull (neck discomfort, 60-day IL on May 12, retroactive to May 7)
- OF Matt Vierling (low back soreness, 10-day IL on May 30, retroactive to May 29)
- RHP Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis, 60-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)
TONIGHT’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #21 Michael Lorenzen • 2-2, 3.21 ERA (53.1IP/19ER)
- Lorenzen will make his 10th start of the season tonight in the series opener vs. Arizona.
- Threw 7.0 strong innings in his last start on Saturday at Chicago (AL), allowing only one run on two hits with no walks and six strikeouts… marked the first time in his career he has put up those numbers in a
start. - Has allowed one run-or-less in five of his last six starts dating back to May 3, posting a 1.83 ERA (39.1IP/8ER), a 0.76 WHIP and 26 strikeouts…among qualified Major League pitchers in May, he ranked tied for sixth in ERA (1.95) and ninth in WHIP (0.87).
- Has made eight relief appearances in his career against the Diamondbacks, compiling a 2-0 record with a 0.71 ERA (12.2IP/1ER) and 10 strikeouts…in six career outings, including five starts, at Comerica Park, Lorenzen has a 3-0 record with a 2.37 ERA (30.1IP/8ER) and 20 strikeouts.
