D-backs SP Zach Davies set to make next start after taking line drive to leg

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zach Davies is on pace to make his next start in the rotation after he left Monday’s win against the Kansas City Royals due to a lower right leg contusion.

In the top of the fifth inning, Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit a line drive 112 mph off the bat directly at Davies’ right shin. Davies said after the fact that the ball fortunately didn’t hit him right on the shin and instead the outside of his leg.

Still, the sound and the aftermath of Davies slowly limping off the field indicated a good chance he could miss some time.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo on Thursday, though, said that if everything goes OK the next couple of days that Davies will make his next scheduled start on Sunday.

The sound of Zach Davies being hit by a Bobby Witt Jr. comebacker; this had to hurt. pic.twitter.com/OqK3w0Ev1p

— Baseball GIFs (@gifs_baseball) May 24, 2022

“We still have a couple of hurdles to clear but with the information we got we’re going to proceed as he will be starting on Sunday,” Lovullo said.

The manager added that it was a 31-pitch bullpen for Davies where the right-hander really wanted to test the leg out and that it was “good stuff” and even a tick better than it normally would be.

Arizona had a day off on Wednesday and could have moved up Monday’s probable starter Zac Gallen to give Davies some extra time, but Lovullo said that was not discussed.

It’s a big-time relief for the D-backs, who have been fortunate enough to avoid any major snags to the health of their starting pitching through nearly two months of the season. Gallen missed his first start of the season but that’s it.

Davies in nine starts this season has a 4.81 ERA across 43 innings with a 1.372 WHIP. While he surrendered 12 earned runs in his last three outings, Davies allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his first six starts of the year.

The 29-year-old was signed by Arizona in late March.

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