Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates with Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (53) after hitting a solo residence run on July 10, 2024 at Chase Discipline in Phoenix. After ending the primary half significantly better than they started it, the Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to decide up the place they left off once they open a three-game collection on the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon.
The Diamondbacks received 4 of 5 video games earlier than the All-Star break and went 10-5 over the ultimate two weeks to maneuver to inside one sport of the ultimate Nationwide League wild-card spot.
Arizona, which misplaced to the Texas Rangers within the World Sequence final fall, sat so far as seven video games beneath .500 on Might 31, however entered the All-Star break with a 49-48 mark.
“I am pleased with what we have been doing not too long ago,” Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker stated. “I feel we have put ourselves ready to make an excellent run within the second half.”
Arizona supervisor Torey Lovullo managed the NL All-Star workforce on Tuesday in its 5-3 loss to the American League.
Earlier than they headed their separate methods, Lovullo instructed his gamers to benefit from the break and their time with household. He additionally instructed them to be able to hit the bottom working upon their return.
“We will step into a tricky enviornment in Chicago and I need this workforce to be prepared,” Lovullo stated. “I do not need them to waltz by means of the primary couple innings. I need them to go on the market and begin making statements the way in which they’ve over the previous three weeks.”
The Cubs exit the All-Star break with a 47-51 document, the identical mark that they had after 98 video games final season. They’re 3 1/2 video games out of the ultimate wild-card berth.
Chicago blasted six residence runs in an 8-3 win towards the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, incomes a break up of the four-game collection. It was essentially the most residence runs the Cubs have produced in a sport since they went deep seven instances versus the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 1, 2023.
“I feel we’re going into it in the way in which we needed to enter it,” Chicago supervisor Craig Counsell stated of the All-Star break. “We completed the job (on Sunday) and bought a break up within the collection and completed a 5-2 highway journey, so it is a great way to enter the break.”
The Cubs plan to begin left-hander Justin Steele within the collection opener.
Steele (2-3, 2.71 ERA) has been sharp many of the season, however particularly currently.
In his two begins this month, he is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings. He struck out 11 batters in 16 innings and walked two whereas giving up only one run.
He wanted simply 70 pitches to throw seven scoreless innings in his most up-to-date outing, an 8-0 win towards the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles on July 11.
“Had some good sinkers and changeups at present, shifting the fastball round,” Steele stated afterward. “Simply been feeling actually good currently.”
In his prior begin on July 5, he threw an entire sport towards the Los Angeles Angels in a 5-1 win.
Steele might be much more motivated after getting snubbed as an All Star.
Steele has made 4 begins towards the Diamondbacks in his profession and is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
The Diamondbacks had not named a beginning pitcher for Friday’s sport as of Thursday morning.
Chicago rookie outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hopes to hold his momentum out of the break as nicely. He hit two homers and made a pair of excellent catches within the outfield in Sunday’s win towards the Cardinals.
Crow-Armstrong had only one residence run in 59 video games coming into Sunday.
“I feel there is a steadiness of specializing in the defensive facet of issues,” he stated. “Now, I suppose it is simply type of night out and performing like I belong right here and, hopefully, extra days like that may come.”
–Discipline Stage Media
