Diamondbacks’ offense finds mid-week groove, injury updates

The Diamondbacks split the two-game series with the Rangers on Tuesday. After failing to hold on to a lead on Monday, the Diamondbacks came back on Tuesday and got the W behind timely hitting and a strong outing from Zack Godley.

July 30: Rangers win 9-5
July 31: Diamondbacks win 6-0

Godley went seven innings allowing only two hits and tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts. The righty’s quality start helped the bullpen as TJ McFarland was the only D-backs’ reliever to take the bump. McFarland went two innings and allowed two hits.

“I thought the fastball command, the sinker, cutter combination was in and out of the zone and he was getting ahead of everybody,” manager Torey Lovullo said of Godley’s outing. “He seemed to be very comfortable getting the leadoff hitter out every inning.”

Offensive sparks 

The D-backs’ bats got going quickly in Tuesday’s win, as A.J. Pollock hit a shot to center in the first to give AZ an early lead. In the third Paul Goldschmidt hit a long RBI double to add another run and in the fourth Nick Ahmed smacked a two-RBI double as well to extend the D-backs’ lead.

An RBI single later in the fourth by Jon Jay and a run scored on a wild pitch in the sixth would be more than enough to seal the deal for the D-backs to get the split.

The Diamondbacks lead the NL in runs with 71 after the All-Star break, good for fifth best in MLB, and are tied with the Rockies for first in the Majors with 82 runs scored in the first inning after Pollock’s homer tonight.

The D-backs are third in the NL, seventh in MLB, in batting average at .281.

Injury Updates

Jake Lamb has fraying in his left rotator cuff, Lovullo announced post-game on Tuesday. Lamb re-aggravated the shoulder injury on July 27 and after getting second opinions on the MRIs in LA, the fraying was discovered. 

Lovullo said that there is a conservative approach and a surgical approach to the injury and that it will ultimately be up to Lamb what route he decides to take.

“If surgery is the option I think he would be out for the year,” Lovullo said. “If we go the conservative route, there’s a chance he could return.”

Shelby Miller was placed on the 60-day DL on Tuesday to make room on the 40-man roster for Brad Ziegler. Lovullo said Miller will continue to get treatment and put some time in in the weight room to get healthy.

The earliest it is looking like Miller could return is mid-September.

“He’s got to get himself healthy,” Lovullo said of Miller’s return. “He’s got to get himself back on the mound. What role or what capacity we’re going to use him in we haven’t determined, but he’s a quality guy that we know could come in in a situation and get outs and if we need him as a reliever or need him as a starter, I’m sure he’s going to transition however we want him to.”

Deven Marrero was a DH on Monday night in a rehab assignment for his strained left oblique. Lovullo said pre-game on Tuesday when he met with the press that he hadn’t had a chance to chat with Marrero yet, but that he was encouraged by the things he read from the appearance.

Jarrod Dyson will be working on movements at Chase Field in the coming days as he comes back from a right groin strain. Dyson will be taking swings and throwing, but will not be running yet, Lovullo said.

David Peralta, who left Sunday’s game with some right shoulder tightness, was available on Monday to pinch hit and was also available on Tuesday, but Lovullo said he was going to continue to be cautious.

Next Up

The D-backs will have an off day on Wednesday, then the homestand continues with the Giants Thursday through Sunday at Chase Field. Probable starters for the series are Zack Greinke on Thursday, Patrick Corbin on Friday, Clay Buchholz on Saturday and Robbie Ray on Sunday.

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