D-backs Preview #57: 6/2 vs. Mets

Roster moves

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:

• Acquired INF/OF Ildemaro Vargas (No. 8) from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.
• Designated INF Domingo Leyba for assignment.

That was unexpected. Well, the first half at least. The DFA-ing of Leyba? Not so much. It is a sad situation for a man who was once seen as our #15 prospect, before a PED suspension, the COVID shutdown and a complete inability to hit or lay off sliders combined to cause the situation we see today. Difficult to believe Vargas is in his fifth major-league season, though only once (2019) has he appeared in even 25 games. With a career OPS of just .640, it doesn’t seem reasonable to expect much. But the bar is not high, for him to be better than the player he’s replacing. If it is the end of Leyba, his 22 AB without a hit will be the most for ANY D-back (including pitchers) in a season. Until Merrill Kelly’s next start, any way!

Last night’s win was certainly a shot in the arm. Before the bottom of both the ninth AND the tenth inning, it looked quite possible that the D-backs would slump to a 1-12 record in one-run games, trailing as they were by one. But our pair of Joshes, Rojas and Reddick stepped up respectively, first to send the game into extras, then give Arizona its first walk-off win since August 17. Arizona also improved their record when trailing after eight innings to 2-31. The only previous such victory was April 21 in Cincinnati, where they scored three in the ninth to tie it, on a Josh VanMeter homer, then blew the doors off with a five-run tenth. That had also been the team’s biggest comeback of the year at three runs, another record broken last night.

Will there be some carry forward of good vibes to this afternoon’s game? For amusement, I checked the record for games after the D-backs had a walk-off win. Certainly, the last time it happened, something survived. That came in a 4-3 victory over the A’s, and the next day the D-backs thumped them 10-1. However, that immediately preceded the nightmare twenty-game streak where the team went 2-18, so whatever it was, clearly didn’t last! But over the last 10 walk-offs, where there was a game the next day e.g. discounting the one on the final day of last season. The D-backs are 6-4 in those games, so it doesn’t seem to make much difference, especially since for obvious reasons, those contests tend to be at home.

This evening’s alternative to the D-backs game. To be decided. But at least I’ll get to pick it, so probably something with action. :) Last night was, as mentioned yesterday, Cruella. I won’t be writing a full review of it, because frankly, it failed to sustain my attention. It was largely like being trapped in a walk-in closet for 130 minutes, while someone played a tape of That’s What I Call The Seventies! on repeat. The only point of note is that I had not realized Emma Stone is a local quine (to use a good old Scottish phrase!), being born in Scottsdale and who went to Xavier Prep before moving to California. Not a bad English accent, I will admit.

No Torey Lovullo media call scheduled before today’s game, presumably due to the early hour. Normal service should be resumed tomorrow.