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As mentioned before, I’ve largely avoided looking at the standings, but as today’s game will represent the 30% mark on this year’s truncated schedule, I figured we might take a look at the Fangraphs projected playoff odds for the first time this year. Arizona currently sits at 24.4%, so about a one-in-four chance. That’s well behind the Dodgers (obviously), but is also trailing severely the Padres (85.5%) and the Rockies (64.8%). Such are the perils of a slow start, and it doesn’t help that the D-backs have currently gone 4-8 against the division so far. The good news is, they have yet to play the Giants, and are almost done with the Padres, having only three games left against them.
That 24.4% is slightly up on the 21.6% it was on July 21. It is also a marked increase on the 16.1% it was back on March 11 - in the dim and distant past, when a 162-game schedule was still on the cards. It does help that some of our other potential rivals are going to have a REALLY tough schedule to get through: I’m looking at you, St. Louis. Let’s just hope nothing infectious comes out of that Oakland-Houston love-in over the weekend: the West has remained largely COVID-free so far, and keeping it that way is how it should be. Winning the remaining two games this series will also get our odds going in the right direction, and Zac Gallen has been very impressive so far. Avoiding walks tonight will be key for him, I think.
Pregame audio from Torey Lovullo
Calhoun not in the line-up: TL thought long and hard about sitting a hot player, but decided it was for the best, with a lefty on mound, and a day game after a night game tomorrow.
Torey discussed Alex Cintron and his suspension for 20 games, plus why the culture here would not allow something like that to happen. Lovullo talked about great coaches he has here and what it means to be a coach and be a teacher. ”I’ve dug a hard line in the sand to make sure that never happens on my watch. I was reminding them of that as I saw this video pop up a couple days ago. I always take those moments when something comes up publicly like that to remind the guys what my expectations are”
Daniel Bard: “They’re going to make a movie about you one day:”
Andy Young batting lead-off: Controls zone well. Thought about it for several days, and felt he was good match-up vs Freeland.