Diamondbacks Edge Closer to Panic Mode After Giants’ Crushing Victory

Diamondbacks Edge Closer to Panic Mode After Giants’ Crushing Victory, at the close of September 21, the Arizona Diamondbacks held a comfortable three-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for a National League wild-card spot. However, just three days later, that lead has diminished to a mere half-game. With the race for the wild-card spots becoming tighter, the outcome may be decided on the last day of the regular season.

Giants Dominate Diamondbacks in 11-0 Rout

On Tuesday night, the San Francisco Giants thrashed the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-0 at Chase Field. This one-sided loss raises serious questions about Arizona’s postseason hopes, particularly the reliability of starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt. Concerns loom over whether the Diamondbacks can secure a playoff berth for the second consecutive year.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo appeared visibly frustrated after the game, offering a few positive remarks.

“Usually, I try to filter things and find something positive, but I don’t think there’s much from this game,” Lovullo told the sports network. “We can play more dedicated baseball and better overall.”

He stressed that the foundation for improvement lies in strong pitching, which keeps the team engaged and creates a better flow to the game. Despite this, Arizona’s pitching failed to deliver, leading to their second shutout of the month and their sixth game allowing 10 or more runs in September.

Diamondbacks’ Wild-Card Lead Shrinking

The Diamondbacks (87-71) recently seemed like a lock for the postseason, but they’ve struggled to maintain consistency. Although they haven’t endured long losing streaks, the team’s two recent three-game skids—one including their latest consecutive losses—have allowed rivals like the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets to inch closer in the wild-card standings.

Atlanta (86-71) is now tied with Arizona in the loss column and holds the tiebreaker, having gone 5-2 against the Diamondbacks this season. After their third consecutive win against the Mets, the Braves are in prime position to leap ahead in the race for the wild card.

Outfielder Corbin Carroll: Staying Level-Headed

Despite their struggles, outfielder Corbin Carroll remains optimistic, citing the team’s resilience during last season’s playoff push and their efforts this year.

“We decided to leave it all out there as well, and that matches perfectly what we had hoped to do,” the man informed us. Carroll had a standout defensive play, robbing Mike Yastrzemski of a home run in the second inning. Brandon Pfaadt (10-10) was forced to leave the field after the third inning by the Giants, who yet managed to hammer five home runs during the game.

Pfaadt had a strong performance in his previous start, allowing just one run on two hits over seven innings against Milwaukee. However, in this outing, he struggled, giving up four earned runs on six hits and two home runs. He has now allowed at least four earned runs in seven of his last eight appearances.

Lovullo: Time to Move Forward

Lovullo emphasized the need for the team to quickly forget about the crushing loss and focus on their remaining games.

“We had just four games left, so what is in the minds of our team members is unique,” the coach stated to me. This was a stressful day, but I want these men to experience it, understand why it happened, then flush it and be ready for tomorrow. We need to concentrate on tomorrow and take care of business.

Pfaadt acknowledged his mistakes, admitting that missed location on his fastballs allowed the Giants to capitalize.

“I felt great physically,” Pfaadt explained.”We delivered pitches early but left some fastballs in the middle, which killed us. We’ve talked about consistency, and that’s something I haven’t delivered lately.”

Pfaadt remains in line to start the regular season finale on Sunday, though the decision hasn’t been confirmed by the team.

Diamondbacks’ Fan Attendance Sees Significant Boost

Despite the team’s recent struggles, fan attendance at Chase Field has surged in 2024. The Diamondbacks are on track to achieve their best overall and per-game attendance since 2008. With five regular-season home games remaining, Arizona is averaging 28,560 fans per game, a notable jump from 24,212 in 2023, when the team reached the postseason.

To date, the Diamondbacks have welcomed over 2.17 million fans to Chase Field, needing just 50,000 more across the remaining four games to surpass 2018’s attendance figures.

Manager Torey Lovullo expressed his gratitude toward the fans and emphasized the importance of maintaining a winning culture to keep the fan base strong.

“Ultimately, we went to the World Series last year and are right in the thick of a race to get back,” Lovullo told reporters at the time. “Our fans are smart, they understand where we are, and they make a difference.” We want to win them back, year by year because we want to be in this situation every season.”

Ryne Nelson Poised to Return from Injury

Right-hander Ryne Nelson threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and is ready to return from the injured list whenever the Diamondbacks need him. Nelson has been one of Arizona’s most reliable starters but was sidelined with right shoulder inflammation two weeks ago.

“I am powerful and ready to go,” Nelson stated.”I am prepared to pitch in whatever position they choose.”

Manager Lovullo confirmed that Nelson is an option for this weekend’s series against the Padres but hasn’t finalized the pitching plans for Saturday and Sunday. Nelson, who has a 4.33 ERA this season, has been productive since mid-June, recording a 3.46 ERA in 96 innings with 17 walks and 92 strikeouts.

Nelson is open to pitching in any role and is prepared to contribute however the team needs as they approach the final stretch of the season.

Upcoming Diamondbacks-Giants Matchup

The Diamondbacks will face the Giants again on Wednesday night, with Zac Gallen (13-6, 3.74 ERA) taking the mound for Arizona against Giants’ right-hander Mason Black (1-4, 5.88 ERA). Gallen has struggled in recent outings to pitch deep into games, while Black will make his first career appearance against the Diamondbacks.

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