D-backs manager Chip Hale thinks a 6-man rotation is viable
Aug 4, 2015, 3:49 PM | Updated: 4:21 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws during the first 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)
The Arizona Diamondbacks entered the All-Star break with a 4.22 ERA, which was the 5th worst in all of baseball.
That left some wondering if the team had enough viable pitchers to fill out a 5-man rotation.
Now that question has gone the other direction, in a good way.
Entering Tuesday night’s game, the D-backs starting rotation has a cumulative ERA of 2.85 since July 23. That number is the 4th lowest in the Majors.
Perhaps a coincidence, July 23 is also the day that Zack Godley made his first start for the team in replace of the injured Chase Anderson.
In three starts, Godley has posted a 3-0 record with a 1.50 ERA and 17 strikeouts. He is one of seven D-backs’ to win their first three starts with the team and one of three players to win their first three Major League starts.
Earlier in the week, D-backs manager Chip Hale mentioned that Anderson is ready to come off the disabled list this weekend and that begs the question, could the team go to a 6-man rotation?
Hale went on the Burns & Gambo show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM to discuss that possibility.
“I think it’s viable with the number of young guys in Robbie Ray, Chase Anderson coming back would be a young guy in his second year,” Hale said. “Godley, all these guys are young kids and (Patrick) Corbin coming back from surgery.
“It is very viable with only one day off, I think a week from Thursday is our only day off in the month of August. It would leave us short on the bench, probably a position player that would have to go, so it’s a tough decision but it is in the mix.”
It would be extremely tough for the D-backs to send down Godley, the catalyst of this recent hot surge in the rotation. On the other hand, Anderson was one of the most consistent starters on the team before suffering his right triceps injury and is deserving of getting his spot in the rotation back.
Anderson’s ERA sat at 2.84 after his 13th start, before it ballooned up to 4.37 after his last five starts, perhaps due to his triceps problem.
Corbin and Ray have both been pitching well with Jeremy Hellickson even pitching better prior to giving up seven runs in Houston on Saturday.
The stellar job of the rotation has left the D-backs with a good problem to have and it could even be beneficial for a young rotation if they make the move to a 6-man rotation.
“I am sure it would be,” Hale said on if a 6-man rotation could affect the individual. “Not many of these guys probably pitched in it unless somewhere in the minor league system if they were limiting innings.
“I think at this point it may be a welcome situation where they get another day and may like it for a time. That would be an issue you have to think about though.”
