Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks feel squeeze of pitch clock
LOS ANGELES — Innings developed quickly against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen, the product of both a talented Los Angeles Dodgers lineup and an implacable clock, one that kept resetting, pitch after pitch, batter after batter.
And so by the time the fifth inning rolled around in what would become an 8-2 loss at Dodger Stadium, Gallen’s stuff had begun to decline. His velocity dipped. His location was a hair off. His breaking pitches were not as crisp.
“First four innings, I felt pretty good,” he said. “That fifth inning I maybe ran out of gas there.”
As often happens in this ballpark, the Diamondbacks were beaten by the Dodgers on Thursday night. Their offense looked lively in the early innings but shut down after that. Their bullpen was knocked around. In dropping to 3-22 in their past 25 games at Dodger Stadium, the Diamondbacks simply did not play well enough to win.
Beyond that, however, was an interesting takeaway from the Diamondbacks’ first game of the pitch clock era: It was not so much that the game was over in short order — the Diamondbacks played only six games last season in less time than the 2 hours, 35 minutes it took on Thursday night — it was that the players felt the lack of control the clock imposed upon them.
That includes Gallen. In years past, he would bend the pace of the game to his will, picking over, stepping off or otherwise taking his time to seize control of the proceedings. He no longer had that luxury on Thursday.
“I just think those long innings with the walk and the hit and what not, you can’t really slow the game down,” he said. “I think just understanding where those little spots (are) to slow it down a little bit and (try to) take advantage of that.”
Take the third inning. Gallen allowed a walk and two hits. He faced six batters and threw 27 pitches. On its face, it might not appear overly stressful.
But all of that occurred in the span of about 12 minutes. Last September, during the inning in which his scoreless inning streak ended, Gallen had a 28-pitch inning against the Rockies that took about 17 1/2 minutes. That is roughly the same number of pitches in an additional five-plus minutes.
“I know with the pitch clock and the faster pace of it, getting deeper into games is definitely going to be a tad bit harder,” Gallen said. “With the faster pace, those long innings can definitely speed up on you. All of it is an adjustment. I’m not really in the business of making excuses. It’s just kind of one of those things I’ve got to get better at.”
That third inning might have taken its toll later in the game. The Dodgers collected a walk and three hits off him in the fifth, an inning in which they scored three more runs and took control of the game for good. Gallen finished with five runs allowed on six hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.
For this night, at least, the Diamondbacks were squeezed by the clock.
“I think no matter what side of the momentum you’re on, harnessing that is going to be a challenge,” Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker said. “If you’re rolling and you guys are ahead, keeping the energy, keeping your foot on the gas pedal, playing into the clock (will be a challenge).
“And then when you’re behind and you’re looking to slow things down, trying to find a way to combat the clock, I think is going to be another challenge. It’s quick action for sure. I feel like it’s pitch, pitch, pitch, pitch. You run in from the field and you run up to the plate. It’s quick at-bats. Still adjusting, I would say.”
Gallen, D-Backs can't cool hot Dodgers bats
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 in their season opener. Will Smith went 3 for 5 and drove in three runs, and James Outman hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers. Julio Urías got the victory in his first career opening-day start. The left-hander allowed four hits and two runs in six innings. He struck out six. Arizona's Zac Gallen took the loss, allowing six hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. The Diamondbacks' runs came on an RBI single by Christian Walker and a sacrifice fly from Gabriel Moreno.
—Associated Press
Dodgers break through vs. Zac Gallen
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers scored three more runs in the fifth inning off Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen, grabbing a 5-2 lead after five innings at Dodger Stadium.
Just like in the third when the Dodgers scored twice off him, Gallen repeatedly got to two strikes but had trouble finishing off hitters. After Mookie Betts worked a one-out walk in a seven-pitch at-bat, Freddie Freeman shot a single into right to put runners on the corners.
Will Smith followed with a single of his own, expanding the zone to dump an outside cutter from Gallen into short right field to put the Dodgers in front, 3-2. It was Smith’s third hit of the night off Gallen, two of which came on pitches that were not strikes.
The Dodgers added two more runs, one of which scored off reliever Cole Sulser, who allowed an RBI single to ex-Diamondbacks hitter David Peralta, the only batter he faced.
D-Backs, Dodgers tied at 2 after four innings
LOS ANGELES — The Diamondbacks and right-hander Zac Gallen watched a two-run lead vanish in the third inning, with several Dodgers hitters fighting through two-strike counts to generate a rally at Dodger Stadium, where the game was tied at 2 after four innings.
Will Smith shot a two-run, game-tying single to right in the bottom of the third, an at-bat that followed a walk from James Outman, a plate appearance that began with him falling behind 0-2, and a double by Miguel Rojas, who shot an 0-2 pitch into right field for a double.
The Diamondbacks scored in each of the first two innings against Dodgers lefty Julio Urias. Christian Walker banged an RBI single through the left side in the first, driving home Ketel Marte, who was hit by a pitch, and Gabriel Moreno lined a sacrifice fly to center in the second to score Nick Ahmed, who doubled to open the inning.
Torey Lovullo’s Opening Day lineup includes some surprises
LOS ANGELES — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo’s first lineup of the season includes a couple of surprises — not so much in terms of who is playing, but where they are hitting.
Lovullo has slugger Kyle Lewis hitting higher than expected and Corbin Carroll lower; Lewis is leading off at designated hitter with Carroll hitting seventh and playing center field.
To be clear, neither is a shocker. Lewis had perhaps the most impactful bat throughout the Cactus League, and Lovullo has never hesitated to put players atop the order even if they don’t fit the mold of the typical leadoff hitter.
As for Carroll, Lovullo made it sound like he had two primary reasons for putting him seventh rather than closer to the top. First, the Diamondbacks are facing Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias, who is a tough matchup for left-handed hitters.
Second, Lovullo has historically liked to put young hitters down in the lineup early in their careers before easing them into more high-profile roles.
“It’s a big ask to put somebody up that high in the lineup and expect him to excel from Day 1,” Lovullo said. “I want to be sensitive to that. He can handle it, but I just want to take some time.
“I trust all 13 position players; I don’t want to make it sound like I don’t trust them. I just want to be situationally aware of different circumstances and different settings from different guys about what it’s going to take. There’s some trusted at-bats up there and I know we’ve got to match up as best we possibly can against Urias.”
Lovullo also made clear that he expects to play matchups throughout the game, calling it “no mystery” that he likes to deploy pinch-hitters.
All about power arms
The Diamondbacks’ decision to put right-hander Carlos Vargas on their Opening Day roster despite his limited experience shows their commitment to adding power to their bullpen, something they have talked about since the end of last season.
“We’re trying to enhance the ability to get some swings and misses deeper into games,” General Manager Mike Hazen said. “He has the talent to do it.”
Due to the pandemic and needing Tommy John surgery, Vargas, 23, has thrown just 34 1/3 innings above short-season ball in his professional career. And in those innings, all of which were logged last season, he issued 17 walks and hit three batters.
However, he mostly threw strikes during camp, issuing four walks in 10 1/3 innings — and three of those walks came in one outing.
It was enough to allow him to win a job over several other pitchers with more experience, namely veteran Jeurys Familia, whom the club released late in camp in part because of concerns over his ability to get swings and misses.
“We felt like he had a good camp,” Hazen said of Vargas. “He had the one outing that didn’t go so great, but other than that I think overall he threw strikes. We’re trying to give (pitching coach Brent Strom) guys to work with that have stuff. He obviously has real stuff.”
Vargas has a fastball that routinely touches triple digits as well as a slider that sits in the low-90s. The Diamondbacks acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians in a November trade for pitching prospect Ross Carver.
Diamondbacks announce Opening Day roster
LOS ANGELES — The Diamondbacks announced their 26-man roster in advance of Thursday night’s Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium, going with an even split of position players and pitchers.
None of the final moves are different from what manager Torey Lovullo had said they would be on Tuesday after the team’s final exhibition game of the spring.
The roster breakdown is as follows:
Starting rotation (5): RHP Zac Gallen, RHP Merrill Kelly, LHP Madison Bumgarner, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Ryne Nelson.
Bullpen (8): RHP Miguel Castro, RHP Kevin Ginkel, RHP Drey Jameson, RHP Scott McGough, RHP Cole Sulser, RHP Carlos Vargas, LHP Andrew Chafin, LHP Kyle Nelson.
Catchers (2): Gabriel Moreno, Jose Herrera.
Infielders (6): SS Nick Ahmed, 3B Evan Longoria, 2B Ketel Marte, IF Geraldo Perdomo, 3B/2B Josh Rojas, 1B Christian Walker.
Outfielders (5): OF Corbin Carroll, LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF Jake McCarthy, CF Alek Thomas, LF Kyle Lewis.
10-day injured list: C Carson Kelly (right forearm fracture).
15-day injured list: LHP Joe Mantiply (left shoulder inflammation), RHP Corbin Martin (right lat tendon avulsion), RHP Mark Melancon (right shoulder strain).
Diamondbacks president addresses timetable for Chase Field decision
Will the Diamondbacks stay at Chase Field? Will they build a new stadium?
Team president Derrick Hall addressed the timetable for the team's stadium decision Thursday in an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, saying that the future of the Diamondbacks' home could be decided "within the next month to two months."
"I think fans are reacting the same way that I have for seven to 10 years,” Hall said on the Bickley and Marotta Show. “We’ve identified the needs of this ballpark and we’ve said if we’re going to stay here — which we’re going to know very, very soon, I’d say within the next month to two months — if we’re staying here, I don’t think we will rank or rate where we are now, say, in the next three years. We know what the improvements need to be here. And there’s a lot."
Staying at Chase Field would require a lot of renovations, according to Hall, but the team's current Stadium could be transformed, the Diamondbacks president said.
"Just like Wrigley Field, people now look and go, ‘Woo, it looks like a brand new stadium.’ That’s what this would be, too, if indeed we’re going to stay here, and we’re working on that," Hall said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
Recent MLB stadium rankings slammed Chase Field as among the "worst venues" in baseball and reaction to the rankings brought out a lot of emotions for Diamondbacks fans, with some calling Arizona's MLB ballpark an "absolute dump."
The Diamondbacks won't be able to open and close the Chase Field roof again this season when fans are in the stadium due to concerns about the integrity of the cables used to pull it open and close.
Dodgers, Diamondbacks have very different odds entering season
One look at the odds for both of these teams shows a big disparity in how the oddsmakers think the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will fare in 2023.
Tipico Sportsbook lists the Dodgers as the favorite in the NL West with -130 odds. The Diamondbacks are fourth, at +4000.
The Diamondbacks are +480 to make the postseason and -700 to miss it. The Dodgers are -800 to make the playoffs and +520 to miss them.
Los Angeles is the favorite to win the National League, with odds set at +330. Arizona is at +4500.
The Dodgers are +750 to win the World Series. The Diamondbacks are +8000.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers starting pitchers
Thursday: Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (12-4, 2.54) vs. Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (17-7, 2.16).
Gallen did not post great results in spring training, giving up 15 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings, and was mostly working with a fastball that was a tick or two down from what he averaged last season. However, he leans heavily on game planning during the regular season and does no advance work during spring training. … He has faced the Dodgers nine times in his career, posting a 2.30 ERA. He gave up just one run in 14 innings against them last season, walking two and striking out 18. … Urias posted a 3.86 ERA in spring training, but he struck out only six in 11 2/3 innings while serving up a pair of home runs. … Urias finished third in National League Cy Young Award balloting last year, two spots ahead of Gallen. … He owns a 1.38 ERA in 52 career innings against the Diamondbacks. They scored one earned run off him in 11 1/3 innings last season.
COMING UP:
Friday: At Los Angeles, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (13-8, 3.37) vs. Dodgers RHP Dustin May (2-3, 4.50).
Saturday: At Los Angeles, 6:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Madison Bumgarner (7-15, 4.88) vs. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (12-3, 2.28).
Sunday: At Los Angeles, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zach Davies (2-5, 4.09) vs. Dodgers RHP Noah Syndergaard
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers TV information
The game can be seen on Bally Sports Arizona in Arizona and SportsNet LA in Los Angeles.
It can also be streamed on the Bally Sports app.
Diamondbacks on TV: Arizona games still scheduled to be broadcast on Bally Sports Arizona in 2023
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers odds
The Dodgers are a 1.5-run favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Los Angeles is -175 on the moneyline. Arizona is +150.
The over/under is set at seven runs.
Who will win the World Series in 2023?: Astros, Braves, Yankees, Dodgers lead MLB odds
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers pregame reading
Dodgers update: The Dodgers had another relatively quiet offseason in which they watched some of their top players depart via free agency, most notably SS Trea Turner, who got an 11-year, $300 million deal from the Philadelphia Phillies. They also lost 3B Justin Turner, CF Cody Bellinger and LHP Tyler Anderson, among others. Their additions were more modest. They signed DH J.D. Martinez, RHP Noah Syndergaard and OF David Peralta and acquired SS Miguel Rojas via trade. The Dodgers likely will be relying heavily upon their younger players, including IF/OF Miguel Vargas and OF James Outman, both of whom made the Opening Day roster. Still, the Dodgers have several immensely talented players remaining — RF Mookie Betts and 1B Freddie Freeman, to name two — and oddsmakers still like their chances, putting their win total projection around 96. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers will play four times this weekend followed by four more next week. They will not play each other again after that until August.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks feel squeeze of pitch clock
