Kohl Drake to make MLB debut for Diamondbacks Tuesday vs. A’s
Three of the four pitchers involved in the Merrill Kelly trade from the Diamondbacks to the Rangers last summer will pitch in this series.
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PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks will call-up left-handed pitching prospect Kohl Drake to start Tuesday’s game against the Athletics, manager Torey Lovullo announced on Monday.
Drake will make his MLB debut after he did not get to pitch when called up as an emergency option last month.
The Diamondbacks started Mitch Bratt on Monday and will go to Merrill Kelly on Wednesday, meaning three of the four pitchers involved in the Kelly trade to the Texas Rangers last summer will pitch in this series.
Arizona acquired Bratt, Drake and David Hagaman for Kelly before signing the veteran back as a free agent last offseason.
Drake has allowed two earned runs in 8.2 innings over his last two starts for Triple-A Reno, including five shutout innings on July 3.
The 26-year-old has gone through an up-and-down season for Reno, which is not an easy place to pitch, especially with an elevated 10% walk rate. He owns a 6.92 ERA this year and a 4.47 ERA in his minor league career.
“Definitely ups and downs,” Drake told Arizona Sports when he got called up on June 21. “A lot of learning for sure. Definitely giving up damage because I’m hurting myself versus like getting hurt, necessarily.”
Drake is a 6-foot-5 lefty with a low-90s mph fastball and a five-pitch mix (four-seamer, cutter, changeup, curveball and slider).
He is the No. 10 prospect in the Diamondbacks’ system, as ranked by MLB Pipeline, just ahead of Bratt at No. 12, although Bratt has put together the much better season in Triple-A.
This could be an opportunity for Drake to show the Diamondbacks if he’s made the necessary adjustments and has the poise to pitch in the majors.
The Diamondbacks need the pitching help with starters Michael Soroka, Zac Gallen and Ryne Nelson on the injured list, along with Corbin Burnes and Cristian Mena, who have not pitched this year.
Jose Cabrera received an opportunity to fill innings before the All-Star break and put together an electric debut followed by some inconsistencies that led to his option. Cabrera was not eligible to return by this series, as it has not yet been 15 days since his was sent down.
The Diamondbacks will look to rebound from a 5-2 loss on Monday.
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Comments
5 Comments
Regardless of transaction details, Kohl and Bratt may both approach the effectiveness of this year's version of Merrill Kelly.
"I had lunch an hour ago at a sports restaurant, I asked five patrons whom I never met before about that statement. They all agreed with me and stated that it is mickey mouse to use that statement."
No you didn't. And if you did, just because you 5 misunderstood the clearly and correctly written sentence doesn't make the statement they wrote incorrect. Especially because they specifically said Kelly resigned in the offseason in the very next sentence.
I wrote "Kelly signed as a free agent during the off-season."
Personally, I read it as that the Dbacks received four pitchers in the transaction. I can see your point. I had lunch an hour ago at a sports restaurant, I asked five patrons whom I never met before about that statement. They all agreed with me and stated that it is mickey mouse to use that statement.
To me, it is more fluff from the Arizona Sports. It is like those asinine statistics periods that Alex Weiner uses such as the stats he used to defend Pfaadt when he was sucking: "Pfaadt has a 0,00 ERA when pitching between the 2nd and 3rd out in the fourth inning during home games at Chase Field on Wednesdays."
If it was me, I would have wrote: "Two of the three pitchers received by the Dbacks in the Merrill Kelly trade will pitch in this series. This will tell me how Hazen did in the trade.