D-Backs try to sweep the Phillies in the MLB Free Game of the Day
The Arizona Diamondbacks had an explosive offseason. They signed pitcher Zack Greinke to a six-year contract worth more than $200 million. They traded shortstop Dansby Swanson, their first overall pick in the 2015 draft, to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Shelby Miller. They traded for second baseman Jean Segura. They made big moves, and expected big results.
That hasn’t really come about. And at this point, they can’t even say they’re better than they were at this time last year. Their record on June 20, 2015 was 33-35. On June 20, 2016? 32-39.
The Diamondbacks are trying for a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies and Shelby Miller is making his return from the disabled list, and you can watch the game for free because it’s Yahoo Sports’ MLB Free Game of the Day. First pitch it at 1:05 p.m. ET, and you can stream it for free on Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index and video home. Local blackouts apply, per MLB’s rules.
Despite their record, there are actually a few things going right for the Diamondbacks in a season that still looks remarkably like 2015. Zack Greinke, who had a bad April (5.50 ERA and two starts where he gave up seven earned runs) and a mediocre May (3.82 ERA), is finally coming around. He’s made four starts in June, and given up three total earned runs. On June 7, he pitched a three-hit complete game shut out. His ERA in June is 0.87. That is the Zack Greinke that Arizona signed, and the one they definitely needed to show up.
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There are a few positives on the offense as well. Catcher Welington Castillo is hitting .310 in June. Slugging first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s average has been steadily climbing since May. He’s hitting .289 now, thanks to his .343 average in June. And Jean Segura is bouncing back after a few down years with the Brewers. At .305, he’s got the highest batting average on the team.
Of course, these improvements don’t negate the other things happening with the Diamondbacks. 2/5 of their rotation, namely Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin, haven’t been great and don’t appear to be getting much better. Shelby Miller, the pitcher they paid so dearly for, had a 7.09 ERA before he hit the DL in May, and they desperately need him to return to form. Their shortstop, Nick Ahmed, is hitting .217, and the less said about that, the better.
But progress is progress. It may not make them competitive with the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it could lift them above the Colorado Rockies. And it might be true: facing the Phillies may be the only thing teams need to get rolling again.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
