Snake Bytes 8/31: Fight or Flight

Diamondbacks News:

[SI] Diamondbacks shutout by Dodgers 7-0

Pfaadt had a difficult time executing on the game plan. “We let a good team have too many pitches to hit and wasted too many pitches early.” Asked if there were any pitches he really regretted, it was the back breaker double by Muncy. It came on a sweeper that he failed to bury inside. It was also the third slider of the at bat and Muncy was looking for it.

[AZS] Diamondbacks mauled by Dodgers again, swept in L.A.

Arizona (69-65) is now a half-game out from the San Francisco Giants (69-64) for the last wild card spot, and perhaps more importantly, two-and-a-half games behind the surging Chicago Cubs in second. The reeling Cincinnati Reds (69-66) and Miami Marlins (66-67) are also in the hunt but certainly lack momentum.

[AZC] Diamondbacks’ starting pitching, offense are no-shows in Dodger sweep

It was not just that they were throttled by the Dodgers, a team that has done this sort of thing to them for years, it is that it happened at a time when the Diamondbacks were riding high, seemingly believing the gap between themselves and the Dodgers was not as wide as the standings suggest. After this series, it is fair to wonder if it is actually wider.

[MLB] D-backs seek resiliency after tough trip to L.A.

“I think we’ve been a very resilient team,” Lovullo said. “We know that we’re a good team and our guys are frustrated right now. … So I know they’re wearing it, but I want them to turn the page, because we can’t do a darn thing about it. We know we didn’t play good here.”

[CBS] Tommy Henry still not throwing

Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Henry (elbow) still has not started his throwing program and he may be “past the point of no return,” Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Baseball News:

[USAToday] Velocity at what cost? MLB’s hardest throwers keep succumbing to Tommy John surgery

Of the top 64 hardest throwers this season based on average fastball velocity calculated by Statcast, 30 – nearly half – have undergone reconstructive Tommy John surgery on their pitching elbows or are expected to undergo the procedure soon, according to USA TODAY Sports research.

[MLB] MLB Milestones to watch down the stretch in 2023

D-backs: Christian Walker chases first 30 HR/100 RBI seasonIt’s easy to look at the D-backs’ success this season and point at Corbin Carroll and Zac Gallen as lead contributors. However, Christian Walker deserves just as much praise. The 32-year-old first baseman is having the best season of his career, as he sits at 28 home runs and 87 RBIs. If Walker accomplishes that feat, he would be the first D-backs first-baseman to do so since Paul Goldschmidt in 2017, the last time Arizona made the playoffs.