Diamondbacks have a starting pitcher dilemma

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks went into Monday’s game with only three starting pitchers on their active roster.

Arizona placed Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list after his start on Saturday and optioned Mitch Bratt to Triple-A Reno on Monday. In their place, the D-backs recalled relievers Gerardo Carrillo and Juan Burgos, respectively.

The Diamondbacks will roll out Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt and Eduardo Rodriguez against the Chicago Cubs this week, and they have some blank spaces to fill for a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants.

Mind you, the D-backs have a doubleheader on Saturday with no game on Sunday, an arrangement made with the Giants months ago. Manager Torey Lovullo said a bullpen game has been discussed, but he does not think that is where the club will land.

That means Arizona’s starting pitchers for Thursday, Friday and one of the two games on Saturday may not be on the active roster (unless there is an opener). Pfaadt would be on three days rest from Tuesday to Saturday.

All of this is happening while the Diamondbacks are in a tight postseason race in the final week of August, entering Monday’s slate two games behind the final NL Wild Card spot. Every game is amplified from this point forward.

The Giants are playing zombie baseball and are 1-8 this year against the Diamondbacks. It is a matchup perhaps the D-backs can survive with their moving parts, but the flip side is Arizona really cannot afford to drop those games between series against the Cubs and surging Philadelphia Phillies.

Lovullo called the Diamondbacks’ starting pitching situation “fluid” and “challenging.”

“We’ve got some guys that have been here that will be strongly considered,” Lovullo said. “We’re gonna fortify our bullpen and do the best that we can to get out to a lead and hang on. And if we’ve got to cut guys short, we will, but we feel like we have an assortment of young pitchers that will get that opportunity. … A couple of those guys we’re considering have been here already, so they shouldn’t feel overwhelmed.”

Lovullo said rehabbing starters Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes will pitch in a Bridge League game on Tuesday. Gallen will throw three innings and up to 50 pitches, but he cannot come off the 60-day IL for a couple more weeks.

Burnes is scheduled to throw one inning and up to 25 pitches, despite Lovullo previously saying he would go two frames. Ryne Nelson has yet to face live hitters, so there is a gap until Arizona’s reinforcements are ready to go.

“We have several of our main participants not able to go out and compete because they’re hurt and that’s part of the game,” Lovullo said. “So that’s one side of it. And then curious as to who will step up and get that opportunity to make the most of it.”

AZCentral.com’s Nick Piecoro reported that Bratt is an option to pitch on Saturday, as the D-backs will get a 27th roster spot for a doubleheader. That helps explain making the Bratt roster move now, as Arizona could deepen its bullpen this week and still use the rookie for his next start. Rosters will expand to 28 on Sept. 1, as well.

As for the other two games this week, Jose Cabrera and Kohl Drake are the internal starting pitching options on the 40-man roster. Dylan Ray has been pitching in relief for Triple-A Reno, while Tommy Henry would need to be put on the 40-man roster. Cabrera and Drake have made eight combined starts this year in MLB.

With the bottom of the rotation looking young and unreliable for the time being, the onus is on the top to provide some level ground, and that put the spotlight on Kelly.

Rodriguez has given the Diamondbacks chances to win all season, and the team has obliged. Arizona is 20-6 when he starts this year.

Pfaadt has been a revelation since his trip back to the minor leagues, showing a humility to make changes and handled getting thrown around different roles for the first half of the year. Pfaadt owns a 1.79 ERA in 10 starts since coming back, and the D-backs are 9-1 in those games.

Kelly’s recent performances have been alarming, as his command has not been up to his elite standard. He entered a Monday start with an 8.24 August ERA.

The Diamondbacks desperately needed Kelly to be great in July after Gallen and Nelson went down and before Soroka returned from a glute strain, and he was with a 1.95 ERA. It was the best stretch of Kelly’s season. The urgency has picked back up for the veteran to find his form again.

As for Soroka, the right-hander thinks he can be back in two weeks, saying an MRI showed inflammation in a couple areas where the tendons were rubbing together.

“There’s always little things that arise throughout the course of the season,” Soroka said. “Sometimes things go away, sometimes they don’t. I think the other night, that line got crossed. I think we wanted to take a look and see how we could get through this for the rest of the season. … Initially, the hope was that we could catch something pretty early and not miss a start. But I think this gives us a very good chance to be able to come back in exactly two weeks and be as good as I can be.”

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