Welcome to the D-backs Beat Newsletter! I’m Steve Gilbert and I’ve been writing about the D-backs since 1998. |
A different Diamondbacks team showed up to Wrigley Field on Friday. OK, so maybe it was the same team with a couple of roster moves made, but the way Arizona manager Torey Lovullo sees it, the return of catcher Gabriel Moreno makes a big difference. "I've said it many times, having Gabi healthy and in this lineup means we're a different team," Lovullo said. "It's the quality bat, it's how he controls a running game defensively, how he runs a game behind the plate. So, nothing against the other catchers, he's just very dynamic, and he has a lot of tools, and he can carry workloads on both sides of the ball." Moreno had been on the 10-day injured list since April 14 with an oblique injury. The team had hoped to have him back earlier in the week for their series against the Brewers, but he needed a few extra days. "It feels good to be back with the team and do my job," Moreno said. "Happy to be back in the lineup and do my thing with the pitchers and hitting." |
Moreno played in a pair of extended spring games, one as the designated hitter and catching five innings in the other. On Thursday, he took live batting practice at the team's Spring Training facility before hopping on a plane to Chicago. "I feel really good," Moreno said about his swing. "I know the kind of hitter I am and I know that I'm ready to help the team." Moreno wasn't the only change to the roster as the Diamondbacks recalled left-hander Brandyn Garcia from Triple-A Reno and optioned lefty Philip Abner. |
Abner and Garcia are part of what has been a bit of a revolving door this week in the bullpen. Abner was recalled Wednesday after reliever Andrew Hoffman allowed eight runs and threw 38 pitches in a 1/3 of an inning in a 13-2 loss in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Abner then tossed 2 1/3 innings Thursday in a 13-1 loss, and he was optioned in favor of Garcia as the D-backs needed a fresh arm. The relievers being gassed is a result of D-backs pitchers not going deep into games. The last time an Arizona starter completed at least six innings was Michael Soroka on April 17. "That's where we're in the cycle right now," Lovullo said. "Every team goes through it where, when your starters don't absorb a lot of the workload, you're gonna have to go into the bullpen. And this is what happens. We got to be better from a starting pitcher standpoint. They set the tone. They set it up for the relievers that are going to come in behind them. And when it's sloppy, it makes the entire game look sloppy. So, we're better than what we've been doing. We know that we'll figure this out." |
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The Diamondbacks were excited last year when they received Garcia from the Mariners as part of the 2025 Trade Deadline deal that sent Josh Naylor to Seattle. Garcia was a favorite to make the Opening Day roster this spring. Some command issues, though, prompted the Diamondbacks to have him start the year in Reno. While Garcia walked 10 in 12 1/3 innings, both he and the player development staff feel like progress has been made. "Garcia is really a great weapon for us in the bullpen," Lovullo said. "And it's not just left on left. He's got wipeout stuff against any type of hitter, and when it's on, it's very impressive. So, he's been throwing the ball well. The things that we asked him to do when he went down, he's taken care of piece by piece, and we're anxious to see what it looks like." Garcia said one of the changes he made was turning what was a gyro-slider pitch last year into more of a cut fastball. "It was something that we developed this offseason," Garcia said of the cutter. "So, it's something a little bit different, a little harder than last year. So, it was something I had to get used to, but I feel good about it now." |
The Force will be strong at Chase Field as the Diamondbacks return for a homestand against the Pirates (May 5-7) and Mets (May 8-10). There will be Star Wars-themed Postgame Fireworks on Friday, May 8, before continuing Saturday, May 9, with Star Wars Night and the Gabriel Moreno Mandalorian Bobble, courtesy of Cox, for the first 25,000 fans. On Sunday, May 10, the D-backs are offering fans an exclusive Mother’s Day jersey giveaway, courtesy of Dignity Health, for the first 15,000 moms in attendance. Fans can capture lasting memories with the Family Photos on the Field Special Event Ticket Pack for the opportunity to take a family photo on the field and receive a baseball cap and a game ticket. The homestand’s Special Event Ticket Packs include the final Bark at the Park on Tuesday featuring a dog bandana, Teacher Appreciation Night on Tuesday with a Teacher Jersey and Nurse Appreciation Night on Wednesday featuring an exclusive Nurse Tee. |
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