Godley’s three-game start ranks with the best in D-backs’ history
Aug 4, 2015, 7:47 AM | Updated: 7:48 am
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley (52) throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Admit it.
You’d never heard of Zack Godley when the Arizona Diamondbacks purchased his contract from Double-A Mobile on July 23.
There’s no shame in that. Godley had started the season with the Single-A Visalia Rawhide after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Miguel Montero trade last December. He went 8-3 in his first year as a starter at the minor league level, earning a promotion to Mobile. In three starts with the BayBears, Godley went 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in 14 innings.
When Chase Anderson was placed on the disabled list with a triceps injury, the D-backs plucked Godley to fill the role, and he’s been outstanding so far.
The 25-year-old South Carolina native pitched six scoreless innings Monday night, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out six in a 6-4 win over the Washington Nationals.
He’s now 3-0, and according to D-backs Media Relations, is just the seventh Arizona starter to win his first three decisions with his new team. He’s only the second D-backs starter to win his first three big-league games (Anderson won his first five in 2014.)
Admittedly, it’s way early in his career, but Godley’s first three games compare quite favorably to the first three outings of the three best pitchers in franchise history — Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Brandon Webb.
| Pitcher | W-L | INN | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | Pitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Johnson, 1999 | 1-1 | 22.0 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 34 | 5 | 4.50 | 356 |
| Curt Schilling, 2000 | 3-0 | 26.0 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 1.04 | 319 |
| Brandon Webb, 2003 | 1-1 | 21.0 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 20 | 2 | 1.71 | 314 |
| Zack Godley, 2015 | 3-0 | 18.0 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 2 | 1.50 | 265 |
Godley has been so good, in fact, that manager Chip Hale is tinkering with the idea of using a six-man rotation when Anderson returns from a minor league rehab stint.
The other option is to keep Godley in the Majors and use him out of the bullpen. The former Tennessee Volunteer already has pitched 107.1 innings on the season, after logging only 55.1 as a reliever in the Chicago chain last year.
