Diamondbacks experience deja vu moment with bullpen game decision
The Diamondbacks decision to go with a bullpen game was a deja vu moment as Arizona's playoff chances took a massive hit on Thursday.
Watch: Arizona Diamondbacks trade deadline preview with Bob Nightengale | 36 mins
There is a new entry in the handbook of toxic Arizona sports terms: Bullpen game.
It blew up our chances to win the 2023 World Series. And on Thursday, it might’ve ended the Diamondbacks’ unlikely push to the 2025 postseason.
The bullpen game was an unexpected twist in a season full of them. With 10 games remaining, the Diamondbacks announced they were going to a four-man rotation, to ride their best horses to the finish line. Six games later, they suddenly abandoned the plan before a pivotal matchup against the Dodgers.
It was the organization’s riskiest pitching decision since the 2023 World Series, when Joe Mantiply started Game 4 at Chase Field, and the Rangers led 10-0 after three innings.
This one wasn’t much better.
Left-hander Jalen Beeks looked great in the first inning, only to surrender a second-inning leadoff home run to Freddie Freeman, a left-handed hitter and noted Diamondbacks assassin. On script, manager Torey Lovullo went to his designated “bulk” reliever – Nabil Crismatt – and Andy Pages promptly launched another home run into the left-field bleachers. The opponent kept pouring it on until the champagne flowed in the visitor’s clubhouse, where the dreaded Dodgers celebrated another National League West title.
It was a bad deal for Crismatt, who was pummeled in his assigned role on Thursday. You hope it doesn’t eclipse his string of late-season heroics.
Lovullo indicated that both Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez each felt less than stellar, and that each could benefit from an additional day off. He added that Gallen has battled through an illness in his previous two starts, even though Gallen’s results have been terrific.
What a shame. The bullpen game occurred about 14 hours after another gut punch, a night when the Diamondbacks could almost touch and taste the postseason. Corbin Carroll electrified the crowd by throwing out a runner at home plate in the 10th inning, but just when victory seemed imminent and uproarious, Lovullo asked Geraldo Perdomo to sacrifice the ghost runner to start the inning.
The logic was baffling. Bunting to get a runner to third base with fewer than two outs is a good strategy with poor to mediocre hitters. It’s a terrible strategy with a MVP candidate like Perdomo, and it effectively handed the chessboard to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Lovullo said his decision was based on analytics, but it took the bat out of Perdomo’s hands and the hands of Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno. Roberts simply chose to walk his way down the lineup and let Jake McCarthy beat him, and McCarthy again failed to deliver in the clutch.
The Diamondbacks are not eliminated just yet. Lovullo correctly noted before the game that “we are in the land of nothing making sense.” No one will argue with that.
But Lovullo also correctly noted that the Diamondbacks were flying by the seat of their pants on Thursday, and unfortunately, that method of travel doesn’t guarantee a safe or smooth landing. And it can be a hard landing to a baseball season.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
Related
Diamondbacks pressed wrong buttons vs. Dodgers, and they are in trouble
Switch to bullpen game bites D-backs in loss vs. Dodgers
Diamondbacks bullpen holds on to clinch series at Guardians after Paul Sewald shelled
Diamondbacks trade deadline: Latest buzz and potential targets
Diamondbacks in sole possession of 2nd NL Wild Card after comeback win over Guardians
Diamondbacks plan on Michael Soroka making rehab start Tuesday
Comments
26 Comments
Based upon the Reds' win today, the Dbacks needs the Reds to lose all of their remaining games, the Mets to lose all of their remaining games and the Dbacks must win their 3 remaining games. The probability is unlikely.
I am upset about this season as well as many fans. On this platform, there are many fans that are calling for the firing of TL. Here is my take for the failure of Dbacks of not making the playoffs this season (I am not assuming a miracle):
Hazen: Not trading for relievers when JMart and Puk went down with injuries. 29 blown saves cost the Dbacks a WC playoff spot or higher. The Dback bullpen sucks to be blunt...it is full of retreads. There is no closer for the Dbacks. As a team, the Dback pitching is ranked at the bottom of the MLB for the past six seasons...so there have been any progress in 6 freaking years!!!
Except for Burnes, the free agent signings have been a bust. There have been no trades that brought a quality pitcher to the team. The farm system hasn't produce a quality pitcher (don't say Pfaadt...a pitcher with a 5.0 ERA isn't a good pitcher as well as his inability to pitch on the road).
Hazen needs to be fired based upon the team's KPIs.
TL: He is a good man of character but a below average manager. He has a losing record after 9 seasons. It is my understanding that TL hired the coaches for his team. His selection of the inexperienced 3rd Base Coach is a reflection of TL. Look at the stats of the number of players that were thrown out at home when they should have stopped at 3rd. Look at the numbers of times that he held a runner when it was clear to send the runner.
To me, it seems like TL plays not to win but play not to lose. How Lawlar was brought up to the show was a total cluster-fox-trot. Lawlar could be damaged goods from his experience. The way that he was handled basically destroyed his trade value.
It seems like the Dbacks can't do the basic baseball skills like bunting, suicide squeeze, stealing homes, hitting the relay player, etc. Of course, no team can be 100% but it seems like the Dbacks are like 20% successful with these skills.
The way that he treated KM caused issues in the clubhouse which probably resulted in the subpar performance in July.
TL should be fired based upon the teams KPIs.
Mr. Kendericks: He needs to clean house. I think that there is a good core (outside of pitching) of players to build a playoff caliber team. The issue is are these players want to stay with the Dbacks when their contracts end? Who want to stay on a team where you bust your butt but the lack of pitching and coaching causing the team to lose.
Mr. Kendericks, IF you want to win a World Series before you die, you need to clean house ASAP!
Any more lovullo anyone??his decision making is going to loom large since the 23 ws and the worst thing is that Hazen won't get rid of him it has to come from ownership themselves and it is a shame because even though they had all these injuries pitching and position players and note "the Gurriel Jr injury really hurts he was raking as the 4th bat and lovullo has some blame for it also" these kids played hard and didn't give up but lovullo and Hazen did by not fixing this bullpen and now sadly we most likely wait another year until everyone is back healthy and who knows when and more bad decision making by lovullo. IT JUST SUCKS......
Yes have Hazen fire TL and then fire himself. Why fire TL ? Because hes had 9 seasons and performed under .500 .
Why fire TL because his ridiculous decisions cost about as many games as our hideous BP . I would rather just give someone else a look .its time man its just time .