Preview, #63: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Disappointing to see Ryan Braun still on the DL - I was looking forward to booing him enthusiastically. But the calf injury he re-aggravated during the series against us in Milwaukee, is still keeping him well out of action. The D-backs need to win, with the pesky Rockies having managed to beat the Cubs again this afternoon in Chicago. The Dodgers host the Reds in Los Angeles tonight, so there will be a spot of scoreboard watching going on there. Looks like a solid enough line-up. Interesting to see Delgado throwing to Mathis: while SSS, he's thrown about the same to Mathis and Iannetta, but allowed twice as many earned runs working with the former.

Delgado has been a startling revelation since moving to the rotation. He has held opponents to a single earned run in each of his three starts. Having thrown 93 and 92 pitches the last couple of times out, I think the training wheels would now be completely off in terms of pitch counts. What the long-term situation will be, however, remains to be seen. Patrick Corbin likely bought himself some breathing room with an almost-quality start yesterday - albeit against the Padres and their Double-A line-up. But Taijuan Walker is also on his way back... though we've been saying that, almost since he hit the DL, close to three weeks ago now.

Still, it's a nice problem to have: too many starting pitchers. Anyone have the D-backs leading the majors in starting pitching fWAR in mid-June? And that with Shelby Miller done for the year, in addition to the Walker blister problem? Yeah, don't all rush to raise your hands at once. I still can't help feeling it's being done with smoke and mirrors. Delgado and Godley aren't really the 3.24 and 2.39 ERA pitchers they have been thus far. But Delgado's FIP is almost exactly in line with that at 3.26, and though Godley's is higher than his ERA, at 3.02, it's hardly anything to complain about. As long as it lasts, anyway.