Arizona Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #45: 5/17 @ Rockies
Today’s Lineups
Rubber recreation in Denver. Hopefully, the D-backs offense can make the most of alternatives higher than they did yesterday, going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring place. Mind you, the Rockies have been 4-for-13. Not typically that groups mix for 24 at-bats with RISP, and the sport nonetheless finishes solely 4-2. Interesting too Ildemaro Vargas promoted to the highest of the order in the present day. That’s one thing we have seen 4 instances beforehand this yr, and the outcomes have been good: he is 6-for-17 hitting leadoff, and 5 of these hits have been for additional bases. However, he’s on the backside for pitches seen in 2026: simply 3.35 per PA, effectively beneath league common (3.87). You need extra persistence from a lead-off man.
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Indeed, of the 171 certified hitters, Vargas presently ranks 168th for pitches per PA (former D-back Josh Naylor is 2 spots decrease, at 3.28). That’s in all probability why Vargas’s walk-rate is 168th as effectively, with simply 5 walks in 151 PA to date. That 3.2% walk-rate is presently the bottom in franchise historical past by a professional hitter, beneath the earlier mark of three.6%, set by Ketel Marte within the abbreviated 2020 season. The lowest over a full season is 4.0%, belonging to Shea Hillenbrand in 2004. Nobody else previously decade has been beneath 5 p.c; the closest is Lourdes Gurriel, who had a walk-rate of 5.2% in 2024.
Indeed, Gurriel has constantly been a “WW” to cite Bob Brenly. He had walk-rates of 5.2%, 5.6% and 5.7% since becoming a member of Arizona. That is not less than one space the place he has improved this yr. Small pattern measurement thus far, however Lourdes has eight walks over 79 PA, a ten.1% fee which far and away would beat the earlier highest of his profession – solely 6.3%. If just a few extra hits have been falling, and his energy hadn’t virtually totally evaporated. Going again to final yr, Gurriel has now gone 26 video games and 94 at-bats since his final home-run, tied for his longest as a Diamondback. Today can be a pleasant one to finish that streak.
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