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Diamondbacks News:
From the Burt: With most Phoenix/Arizona fans looking for solace as the Suns’ legendary playoff run came to a brutal end, the Arizona Diamondbacks are finally rounding into form and welcoming all fans looking to escape. Just don’t look at their overall record. The bullpens were relatively quiet for the most part, Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless inning in his first appearance coming off the injured list, and while Joe Mantiply ran into trouble with three straight singles to open the 7th, Brett de Geus did his best to close the door. After a walk to start his outing, he got a ground ball double play to escape further damage and keep things tied at 4-4.
Luckily for him, the offense came ready to go as Smith and Varsho hit back-to-back homers to give us our final score 6-4
GM Hazen: ‘D-backs open-minded to all trade deadline possibilities
From the article: “We have to be open-minded to any and all possibilities because of where we stand right now,” Hazen said. “The notion that we’re one player away from catching up to the Giants is just not true. We need to be open-minded to anything that’s going to come our way.”
D-backs announce weekend starting rotation, several roster moves
From the article: “We’re finally getting some continuity,” Lovullo said during Wednesday’s pregame availability. “This is probably been the first time in two-and-a-half, three months that I’ve been able to sit here the day before an off-day leading into a weekend series I’ve been able to tell you that here is our starting rotation.
D-backs activate Tyler Clippard, claim Ty Tice from Braves
From the article: Arizona signed Clippard over the offseason. The generally durable righty went down with a capsule sprain in his throwing shoulder during Spring Training, though, and he’s missed the entire season to date.
Atlanta picked up Tice in a small trade with the Blue Jays in early June. They’ll lose him a little more than six weeks later, with the reliever having made just one major league appearance in a Braves uniform. He’s thrown eight innings of four-run ball between Toronto and Atlanta this season, his first with any big league experience. Tice has a 4.20 ERA across 45 career innings at Triple-A, striking out a fine 24.0% of batters faced but walking a lofty 13.7% of opponents.
From the blurb: The 27-year-old appeared to dislocate a finger on his left hand while diving into second base. Rojas, who went 2-for-4 with a run, a walk and a stolen base, was replaced at second base by Andrew Young.
Baseball News:
Thom Brennamen lands humbling new job
From the article: “I’m so grateful and excited,” Brennaman said. “I grew up here in Greater Cincinnati. I know what high school football, high school basketball and high school sports mean to this area. This is what I was doing at Channel 5 when my career started. Here we are coming full circle getting back out to high school sports.”
Snek Byte:
Snakes look like monsters as fungal disease spreads in U.S.
From the article: A growing number of snakes are taking on horrific facial deformities, due to a skin disease wildlife experts don’t fully understand. “Many snake populations are already in decline due to habitat loss and dwindling prey populations, and SFD may accelerate this decline.”