Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #123: 8/18 @ Padres

Schedule change

Major League Baseball announced today a series of rescheduled Sunday, August 20th games in southern California due to the forecast related to Hurricane Hilary. The scheduled Sunday home games for the Padres, Dodgers and Angels will now become the earlier games of split doubleheaders on Saturday. In particular the San Diego Padres’ Sunday home game vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks has been rescheduled for a split doubleheader with starts of 12:10 p.m. and 5:40 p.m. (both Arizona time) on Saturday.

Well, that’s certainly something. I don’t recall the last time the D-backs had a game postponed in advance, and rescheduled for an earlier date. Has it ever happened? Certainly, I understand why MLB decided to do so. The forecast for Sunday is decidedly iffy, to put it mildly, and with only six weeks of the season left, opportunities to fit in any rescheduled games are going to be tricky. For now it looks like Merrill Kelly will start the nightcap, but not sure who will get the day game. The original plan was, I believe, to have Zach Davies go on Sunday, but with the game now happening 24 hours earlier, that would be on short rest, since Davies started for the Reno Aces on August 15.

I’d not be surprised if it ended up being another bullpen game. They are allowed to call up an additional man for the double-header, so I’d not be surprised if that’s an additional pitcher. Still, be hoping Brandon Pfaadt can follow Zac Gallen, and give the team at least six solid inning this evening, to keep most of the bullpen available for tomorrow. He started against these same Padres - literally, San Diego has the same line-up! - last weekend at Chase, and it went quite well. Pfaadt scattered nine hits and two walks over 5.2 innings, but struck out eight and held San Diego to two runs. He took a no-decision in a 5-4 win, and is still looking for that first career W. 12th time’s the charm, perhaps?