D-backs 5, Angels 12: Straily’s first impression unimpressive

After the first two games were played out largely by non-roster invitees, the line-up for this afternoon’s game at Tempe Diablo looked considerably more like something a casual fan might recognize. In particular, the top of the order included Carson Kelly, David Peralta and Christian Walker, and things got off to a good start, with the Freight Train cracking his second pitch of spring for an opposite-field home-run (below). However, that’s about where the good news stopped for Arizona. Dan Straily’s first appearance in Sedona Red proved a bit of a disaster, and an Angels line-up including Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and Justin Upton had no trouble sending the D-backs to a third straight spring loss.

Straily put two men on in the first inning, but escaped damage. However, the same could not be said thereafter. He allowed five more hits in the second inning, lead to three runs for Los Angeles. While those were all singles, the extra-base hits came in the third frame, including two home-runs and a triple, as the Angels added four more. Dan ended up charged with seven runs, all earned on nine hits over his three innings of work. He walked none - though did hit a pair of batters - and struck out three, as 11 of the 20 batters he faced reached base against him. It’s his first appearance on US soil since 2019. It seems he now has a better handle on what he needs to do. Here are his post-game comments.

The other pitcher who suffered this afternoon was Bryce Jarvis. He also allowed a pair of home-runs, among the six hits given up across his 2.2 innings of work. He walked none, struck out two and was charged with the other five runs Los Angeles brought home. Around him and Straily, there was a scoreless inning by Mitchell Stumpo and another by Miguel Aguilar. But allowing nineteen hits, including four homers, over eight innings is not usually going to be a recipe for success. On the plus side, Peralta doubled in addition to his HR, scoring twice, and his replacement Cooper Hummel also picked up a pair of hits and two runs. Christian Walker doubled and walked.

A replay of the game should be about to get under way on Bally Sports Arizona, but I think I have some laundry that needs doing. There was further bad news, as Torey Lovullo announced that pitcher J.B. Bukauskas has a grade 2 tear of his teres major. Which, Dr. Steve Gilbert M.D. helpfully informs us, is a “small muscle that runs along the lateral border of the scapula” And in case you need to know that too, the scapula is your collar-bone. The recovery time for this, according to Lovullo, will be months rather than weeks. After an underwhelming first campaign, this is another setback for the former first-round pick and top 100 prospect.

Tomorrow, the D-backs will make a fourth attempt to get in the spring win column, with a game against the Kansas City Royals up in Surprise. It’s a 1:05 pm start, not sure who’ll be pitching for Arizona.