Diamondbacks Game Preview #63: 6/13 vs. Reds

Statement from D-backs broadcaster Greg Schulte

D-backs fans, I want to let you know I recently was diagnosed with a medical condition that is requiring me to begin chemotherapy treatment.

Before the 2022 season, the D-backs and I agreed to a “home games only” broadcast schedule. That has nothing to do with my current situation. Now, in addition to missing road game broadcasts, I’ll be missing some home game broadcasts.

I want to thank my family for their love and support, the D-backs, D-backs fans, and my broadcast partners for their support and willingness to cover for me while I’m away from the radio booth.

I appreciate your prayers and privacy as I concentrate on my health at this time. I’m staying positive and hoping for a full recovery.

I look forward to the day I’m back in the radio booth once again calling D-backs games.

If you can’t remember the time when Schulte hasn’t been calling D-backs games, that’s because there hasn’t been one. He has been the team’s regular play-by-play announcer on the radio since the team began play in 1998, and has called well in excess of three thousand Diamondbacks games. His description of the final play in the 2001 World Series Game 7 win over the Yankees is undeniably the most iconic in team history, but he has had quite a few memorable calls over the course of his time in the booth:

Here’s to Greg beating what ails him, and coming back to the booth, in order to deliver a few more magical moments. We wish him all the best.

Torey Lovullo audio

Torey Lovullo Notes:

Nick Ahmed will have surgery on his right shoulder on Wednesday to clean out some soft tissue and remove some bone spurs. Timeline for return is undetermined.

Daulton Varsho will get the majority of the starts in right field for the time being.

“I’ve had very candid discussions with Daulton and I’ve been very open and honest with him. This is a team move. He’s been our Centerfielder, our starting catcher, and now our starting right fielder. It’s been a team move the entire way.”

Asked about why Varsho in RF and Thomas in CF Torey refused to say one was better than the other. He feels their arms are similar, perhaps with Daulton having the quicker release, but strength and accuracy he feels are the same. This was not an arm strength based decision.

“I don’t know that answer, and that’s what I explained to Daulton. They’re all really good. This is a great problem that a manager has when he has to make these types of tough decisions because you have 1A and 1A.”

Daulton was a little bit frustrated about being moved around again, but he said when he walks out that door he’ll be ready to go.

Joe Mantiply has been an unsung hero and is having a magical season.

On Greg Schulte:

“He’s a fixture in this organization. It’s sad news. I’m not sure what the exact diagnosis is. But the fact that he’s had to step away has been hard on all of us when we heard this news recently. We love him, we miss him. We wish him all the best. He is a true Arizona Diamondback. He loves and supports this organization with everything he has. And in return we love him. I just wanna say get well Guv, we miss ya.“