Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #93: 7/15 @ Blue Jays

Relatively short Gameday Threads today and tomorrow, since they’re both day games on the East coast: I’m working today, and want to get a jump on actual work first. Then tomorrow we’ll be enjoying our usual Sunday morning lie-in, along with the traditional double-bill of eighties TV, in the form of C.A.T.S. Eyes and Miami Vice. I’m sure you understand. Anyway, today the D-backs turn to ace Zac Gallen, with the usual caveat that he has been rather less than ace-like when not pitching in Chase Field. He won his ninth home start in team game #89 just before the break. He’s the first pitcher to have a home record of 9-0 or better at that point in a season since Adam Wainwright in 2010.

Elsewhere... yeah. Just two wins in nine attempts, with a sole W since April 16. He has had two quality starts on the road, and those were responsible for both the wins. Indeed, when Gallen has a QS this year, he is 10-0 in eleven starts. His record should be 11-0. For the sole exception was on June 4 against the Braves at Chase, and he was in line for the W there, until a brutal four-run ninth, courtesy of Miguel Castro, gave Atlanta an 8-5 victory. So that seems like a good benchmark for today. If we get a quality start from Gallen, I’m hoping Arizona can get back into the W column and take things to a rubber-game tomorrow.

However, potentially of longer-term importance, Merrill Kelly is scheduled to throw a 75-pitch simulated game at Salt River Fields today. I do not envy him, with a temperature forecast this afternoon to be around 114 F or so. But if he gets through that okay, with no problems from the blood-clot in his calf, which sent him to the disabled list before the All-Star break, then I think we may see him back on the mound in either Atlanta or Cincinnati next week, depending on how the team wants to play it. Getting Merrill back would be a big boost to a rotation which has seemed held together with sticky-tape and hope.