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Diamondbacks News
It wasn’t the worst of outings by Tyler Gilbert. In fact, the teams were still tied when his innings were done, after surrendering four runs on nine hits through five innings. But, Gilbert’s landing spot to follow-up his no-no from last weekend was not particularly kind to him.
Gilbert Fights Through Five, D-backs Lose Late
Gilbert’s string of hitless frames as a starter came to an end early. Colorado’s Brendan Rodgers singled to right as the Rockies’ second batter of the game. Gilbert fought through five, needing 85 pitches to get that deep. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth which led to a game-tying triple. It was by no means a good outing, but it was serviceable and he did keep his team in the game. Arizona’s offense and bullpen were not up to the task the rest of the way.
Arizona’s Offense, Bullpen Not Enough
David Peralta pinch-hit for Tyler Gilbert in the sixth inning and tripled home Drew Ellis to tie the game at four. After that, it was all downhill for the Arizona Diamondbacks as they again struggled with runners in scoring position and the bullpen was unable to throw a shutdown inning in the bottom of the sixth. The Arizona bullpen combined to allow five runs in three innings, allowing the Rockies to win without the need for the final frame.
Rojas Gaining Edge from Gamesmanship (The Athletic)
Josh Rojas has started making a name for himself for his ability to get in the head and under the skin of opposing pitchers. That ability is showing up in his on-field results which have been trending in the right direction for quite a while now.
Other Baseball News
Max Fried Throws Shortest Maddux Since Maddux
Last week, after Tyler Gilbert needed only three pitches to clear the eighth inning, one of the big questions going into the ninth was whether or not he would, not only pitch a no-hitter, but whether or not he might actually spin a Maddux. He came up just short, needing 102 pitches to complete the no-no. On Friday night, Max Fried took efficiency to a level rarely seen in the game. While he did not throw a no-no, he did still complete the CGSO, allowing only four hits along the way. His final pitch count - 90. The last pitcher to be that efficient in a CGSO was Greg Maddux, the man the feat was named after.
2021 NL Cy Young Race Highlights Divide in Pitcher Evaluation
Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher in the game right now. But, after dominating the first half of the season, deGrom is now on the 60-day IL and will not pitch enough frames to be a serious contender for the NL Cy Young Award. That has opened the door for a number of candidates. The leader for the award depends on how one evaluates their bodies of work. Each has a compelling case that seems to put them in the lead. Of course, there are still five weeks to go, so anything could happen.
Field of Dreams ‘22 to Feature Cubs, Reds
Maybe it is just me, but if they are going to make this an annual event, it really feels like it should feature the White Sox as the home team.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Buying Into Brewers
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, the MLB team announced Friday.
At the conclusion of the 2022 season, storied baseball card producer, Topps, will see their license with MLB expire. MLB has elected to sell exclusive rights for baseball cards to Fanatics, a sports merchandising company. The as yet unidentified branch of the company will have exclusive rights to print those treasured collectibles through 2045. This brings an end to the Topps era, which has been going strong for over 70 years.
Who Will Still Be Around in 2028
Being the face of the franchise is a big deal. Which players will still be around with their teams when 2028 rolls around? Most of the candidates probably will not have a Topps baseball card.