September 27th, 2023
CHICAGO — As the D-backs move closer to securing an NL Wild Card spot, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt continues to make a case to be part of a playoff rotation.
Pfaadt tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday afternoon as the D-backs beat the White Sox, 3-0, at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The win was the second in a row for the D-backs, who currently hold the NL’s No. 2 Wild Card spot. If things break the right way for them over the next 24 hours including another win by them and losses by the Marlins, Cubs and Reds, the D-backs will be tantalizingly close to clinching their first postseason berth since 2017.
Games remaining (4): at CWS (1), vs. HOU (3)
Standings update: The D-backs (84-75) hold the No. 2 Wild Card spot. They are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs (82-75) who play Wednesday night. The D-backs lead the Marlins (81-75) by 2 games and they are 3 games ahead of the Reds (81-77) pending the outcome of those teams’ games Thursday. Cincinnati and Miami hold the tiebreaker over the D-backs. Arizona holds the tiebreaker over the Cubs.
In the D-backs clubhouse, though, there was happiness about the win and an awareness of some of the possible scenarios over the next day that could get them in the playoffs, but also an awareness that they need to focus on the series finale Thursday with the White Sox before going home for three games against the Astros, who are also battling for a playoff spot.
“I’m not the one if there is one,” D-backs outfielder Tommy Pham said on whether the players are aware of all the potential scenarios. “I know we’re in the playoff picture if it were to start today. That I know. I know we still have four games left and we could easily not be in the playoff picture. So we have to keep on battling, keep on winning.”
That is the exact mindset that manager Torey Lovullo wants to see from his group.
“They’re very excited,” he said. “They’re playing with a lot of energy and a lot of focus and we know what’s right in front of us. We control our own destiny in this particular situation. We’re taking nothing for granted. We are very humble.”
Behind the scenes, though, Lovullo, his coaches and the baseball operations staff are working to try and plan for all the different scenarios over the coming days.
If the D-backs still need to win games Friday and Saturday to get into the postseason, or to get a better seed, then they will use Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly in those games. Using them in those games means that they would be available to start Games 2 and 3 of a Wild Card series.
If they don’t need the games against the Astros, the D-backs could skip one or both of the pitchers, or have them just pitch a couple of innings as almost a between-start bullpen session to have them ready for Games 1 and 2 of a Wild Card series.
The D-backs may end up needing a third starter in the Wild Card series and should they advance to the NL Division Series they will certainly need one.
That’s where Pfaadt’s performance Wednesday comes in. Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Zach Davies had been potential third starters in a playoff series. Davies struggled Tuesday night and was designated for assignment Wednesday morning.
Nelson pitched well in relief of Davies, but Pfaadt really bolstered his case Wednesday.
“I think he’s continuing to rise and push everything in the right direction,” Lovullo said of Pfaadt, who made his big-league debut earlier this year. “I think his aptitude and his ability to make adjustments and learn quickly has been fantastic. He stands up there like he’s been in the big leagues for five or six years. He has that mental presence and then he’s executing pitches now. We’ve got to make some tough decisions if we continue to move forward. We’re not sure about the rotation outside of Zac and Merrill, but we have some good options and Brandon is sort of making a case.”
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