PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES: Lost 7-3 in the opener of their three-game series last night against the Diamondbacks…Have lost four of the first five games of their road trip leading up to the All-Star break…Have had five separate winning streaks of at least four games this season, including a season-high seven-game winning streak from 4/17-23.
ABOUT TODAY’S ALL-STAR: Mitch Keller will make his final start of the first half today in the second game of this series against the Diamondbacks…Keller was named to the National League All-Star team on Sunday for the first time in his career…He is the first Pirates starting pitcher to be selected to the All-Star Game since A.J. Burnett and Gerrit Cole both represented Pittsburgh in the 2015 Midsummer Classic at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park…A win today would make him the first Pirate since Gerrit Cole in 2015 to post double digit win totals prior to the All-Star break.
K IS FOR KELLER: Mitch Keller comes into today tied with Arizona’s Zac Gallen for second in strikeouts (125) among all National League pitchers…Keller’s 358 called strikes according to Baseball Savant are the second-most in MLB behind San Francisco’s Logan Webb (368)…Teammate Rich Hill ranks third with 337 called strikes.
THE FUTURE IS HERE: The Pirates will be represented in today’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle by Endy Rodriguez and J.P. Massey…The 23-year-old Rodriguez is currently rated as the No. 5 catching prospect in the game by MLB Pipeline and 37th among the top 100 prospects in the game by the same outlet…The 23-year-old Massey ranked sixth in the Florida State League with 57 strikeouts at the time he was promoted to High-A Greensboro on June 20…Massey comes into today fourth among all Pirates minor leaguers with a 3.45 ERA this season.
THE HOT CORNER: Jared Triolo has hit safely in five of his last six games (7-for22, .318) after going 2-for-4 with a double and run scored last night…Prior to being promoted to the big leagues, Triolo hit at a .395 clip (17-for-43) in his final 12 games with Triple-A Indianapolis.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’: Right-handed pitcher Jared Jones struck out seven batters in 4.0 innings of relief to earn his first Triple-A win last night for Indianapolis… Jones, who is currently rated as Pittsburgh’s No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was selected 44th overall in the second round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft by the Pirates…Jones’ 3.11 combined ERA between Altoona and Indianapolis ranks second among all Pirates minor leaguers behind Anthony Solometo (2.32).
GOING THE EXTRA MILE: Nick Gonzales has seven extra base hits in his last 11 games since tripling on June 27 against the Padres for his first big league hit…Gonzales’ seven extra base hits are tied for the fifth-most in the National League in that time (Mookie Betts leads with 14).
JACK IN THE BOX: Jack Suwinski has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, going 11-for-27 (.407) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and 1.370 OPS…Suwinski also has seven hits in his last 19 at-bats off left-handed pitchers… Prior to that, he was 7-for-41 against southpaws.
CARLOS SANTANA’S HITS: Carlos Santana knocked in a pair of runs last night and is hitting .311 (14-for-45) with four doubles, three home runs and eight RBI in his last eight games…Santana’s 27 total bases since June 27 are tied for the sixth-most in the National League (Mookie Betts is first with 42).
STARTING PITCHER – 23 – RHP MITCH KELLER
MITCH KELLER: The 27-year-old righthander will make his 19th start of the season today…He lost a 5-2 decision (5.0ip/5r/4er) in his last start Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
vs. ARIZONA:1-0 in two career starts…Was in line for the win but had a no-decision (6.0ip/2er) in one start this year on 5/20 at PNC Park…He also allowed three runs in 5.1 innings while winning a 6-4 decision against Madison Bumgarner on 8/10/22.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
TOP OF THE WEST: The D-backs are in first place in the NL West (+0.5) and have spent 60 days in/tied for first place in the division.
RECORD AMONG THE REST: The D-backs’ 51-38 (.573) season record is fifth in the Majors, behind the Braves (59-28, .678), Rays (57-34, .626), Orioles (52-35, .598),
and Rangers (52-37, .584).
ROSTER MOVES: The D-backs made the following moves:
♦ Selected LHP Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Reno.
♦ Transferred RHP Drey Jameson to the 60-day injured list (right elbow inflammation).
♦ Optioned OF Kyle Lewis to Reno following last night’s game.
CORBIN CARROLL REWRITES BASEBALL HISTORY: Corbin Carroll is the first rookie in MLB history with at least 15 HR and 25 SB before the All-Star break [source: ESPN
Stats].
♦ Carroll is also the youngest player in MLB history with at least 18 home runs and 26 stolen bases pre-All-Star break…only 7 instances ever in baseball history have been recorded…Carroll and Ronald Acuña Jr. are the fi rst players to reach the feat since 2011 [source: Elias Sports Bureau]:
WELCOME TO THE BIGS, DOMINIC CANZONE: Dominic Canzone, who was selected prior to yesterday’s game, will make his Major League debut today as the designated hitter.
♦ Named the D-backs’ and Pacific Coast League Minor League Player of the Month for June after hitting .430 (34-for-79)/1.238 OPS with 9 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 25 RBI, 9 walks, 1 stolen base and 18 runs scored in 21 games with the Aces.
♦ The D-backs’ No. 19-rated prospect (MLB Pipeline) batted .354 (91-for-257)/1.065 OPS with 18 doubles, 3 triples, 16 home runs, 71 RBI, 39 walks and only 40 strikeouts in 71 games with the Aces.
♦ At the time of his promotion, ranked among Pacific Coast League leaders in OPS (1st), SLG (1st, .634), average (2nd), RBI (3rd), total bases (4th, 163), runs (T-4th, 61), hits (5th), extra-base hits (T-5th, 37), OBP (7th, .431) and home runs (T-7th).
♦ Over 4 Minor League seasons (since 2019), hit .310 (352-for-1137)/.933 OPS with 78 doubles, 11 triples, 60 homers, 250 RBI, 117 walks, 223 strikeouts and 41 stolen bases.
♦ Signed as the D-backs’ eighth-round selection in the 2019 Draft out of Ohio State University.
SWIPIN’ BAGS: The D-backs’ 87.4 (90-for-103) stolen base pct. this season is second in the Majors, behind the Mets (91.0, 71-for-78) while their 90 stolen bases are third, behind the Rays (110) and Reds (107).
♦ The D-backs’ 5 games this season with 5+ stolen games are the most in the Majors, ahead of the Orioles (4) and Reds (4).
♦ Since 2022, Jake McCarthy’s 9 games with 2+ stolen bases is tied for the most in Majors (also: Ronald Acuña Jr. and Jorge Mateo/BAL)…Corbin Carroll’s 7 games with 2+ stolen bases rank tied for fourth (also: Jon Berti/MIA, Bobby Witt Jr./KC and Esteury Ruiz/OAK).
♦ The D-backs are 1-of-2 teams this season who feature multiple players with 20+ stolen bases (also: Rays): Corbin Carroll (26) and Jake McCarthy (20) & Rays’ Wander Franco (28) and Taylor Walls (20).
SMALL BALL: The D-backs’ 12 bunt hits this season rank tied for third in the Majors (also: Blue Jays), behind the Giants (17) and A’s (14).
♦ The D-backs’ 114 bunt attempts since 2022 (sacrifice hits + bunt hits + bunt outs) are the most in baseball, ahead of the A’s (106), Nationals (90), Pirates (89) and Giants (89).
VS. BUCCOS: The D-backs are 3-1 this season vs. Pirates (2-1 in series @ PNC Park from May 19-21).
♦ Since 2019, the D-backs are 9-2 vs. Pirates @ Chase Field and have won 8 of their last 9 games…in 2022, they went 3-1 in the 4-game set, outscoring the Pirates 22-13.
EXTRA! EXTRA! The D-backs’ 63 straight games with an extra-base hit (since April 28, 37-26 record) is tied for the Majors’ longest active streak (also: Angels since
April 29, 2023)…it is also the second-longest streak in a season in club history behind the 69-gamer from July 18-Oct. 7, 2001.
DEFENDERS OF THE DIAMOND: The D-backs’ .991 fielding pct. is the best in the Majors while their 30 errors committed are the fewest, ahead of the Padres (.989, 34 E) and Cardinals (.989, 35 E).
STARTING PITCHER – LHP KYLE NELSON ♦ #24
AT A GLANCE: Second season with the D-backs and fourth in the Majors…claimed off waivers on Nov. 24, 2021 by the D-backs from the Guardians.
- In 2 seasons for the Guardians in 2020-21, he made 11 relief appearances (12.19 ERA (14 ER in 10.1 IP).
- Guardians’ 15th-round pick in the 2017 draft out of UC Santa Barbara.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is making his fi rst start of 2023…has made 38 relief appearances.
- Has held opponents scoreless in 9 of his last 12 relief outings, since June 6, with a 2.53 ERA (3 ER in 10.2 IP), .200 opponent average (8-for-40), 2 walks and 14 strikeouts.
- Allowed just 1 run in his last 6 home games (1.80 ERA; 1 ER in 5.0 IP) with 7 strikeouts and a .211 opponent average.
- Has 21 appearances at home, going 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA (7 R-4 ER in 17.2 IP), .278 opponent average (20-for-72), 5 walks and 24 strikeouts.
- Over his first 13 home games from April 6-May 27, had a 0.84 ERA (4 R-1 ER in 10.2 IP), .279 opponent average (12-for-43), 3 walks and 12 strikeouts.
STARTING NOD: First start this season, second career Major League start and third professional start.
- Last year on June 12 @ Phillies, made his fi rst Major League start, tossing 1.0 scoreless, hitless inning with 1 walk.
- In 2019 at Triple-A Columbus, made 1 starts on August 15 @ Gwinnett, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 0 walks and 4 strikeouts.
- At UC Santa Barbara, in his final season in 2016-17, made 15 starts and went 6-4 with a 4.53 ERA (51 R-44 ER in 87.1 IP) with 77 hits, 30 walks and 69 strikeouts…in 2015-16, only made 1 start in 33 appearances…in 2014-15, worked solely as a reliever for 25 outings.
VS. PIRATES: Has 3 career relief appearances vs. Pirates, allowing 6 runs in 2.2 innings (4 H, 3 BB, 3 K).
- Last outing was on May 20 @ Pirates (0 ER in 1.0 IP, 1 K).
- Also pitched on June 5, 2022 @ Pirates (1 ER in 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 K) and June 18, 2021 @ Pirates [with the Guardians] (5 R in 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 K).
RISPY BUSINESS: With runners in scoring position, limiting opponents to a .229 average (8-for-35)/.689 OPS with 3 walks and 9 strikeouts.
DAY GAMES: In 18 day games, is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA (3 ER in 18.0 IP), .234 opponent average (15-for-64), 1.06 WHIP, 4 walks and 22 strikeouts.
