Diamondbacks-Giants preview: Probable starters, D-backs magic number and clinching scenarios
Sep 23, 2024, 9:08 AM | Updated: 10:14 am
Kevin Newman #18 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a two-run single in the top of the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 03, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks return to Chase Field for the final homestand of the regular season with a chance to clinch a postseason spot for the second straight year.
The San Francisco Giants come to town from Monday to Wednesday before Arizona gets Thursday off and hosts the San Diego Padres for the last three games over the weekend. Arizona has won six of 10 games this year against the Giants, winning its last two series in the matchup.
The D-backs are coming off a critical series victory against the National League Central champions, taking three of four games against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. However, the D-backs were in prime position to sweep the series up 8-0 in the third inning Sunday, and the Brewers stormed back for a 10-9 win.
The Giants, meanwhile, officially fell out of the Wild Card race last week but have been hot lately, winning five of the last six games against the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals. All-Star starter Logan Webb is slated to start this week with the chance to play spoiler against a division foe.
What is the Diamondbacks’ magic number?
As of Monday morning, the D-backs and the New York Mets are tied for the second NL Wild Card spot at 87-69, although New York leads via tiebreaker.
The Atlanta Braves (85-71) are two games back and also own a tiebreaker over Arizona, while the Padres have pulled ahead to three games over the D-backs and Mets.
The Mets and Braves play each other three times starting Tuesday, so their series staggered with Arizona’s complicates matters slightly.
Arizona’s magic number of wins is four with six games to go, as it helps to have two of their Wild Card competitors matching up this week. Four wins would give Arizona 91. The only way Atlanta gets there would be to finish 6-0, which would knock out the Mets.
The earliest Arizona can clinch a postseason spot is Wednesday night with a sweep of the Giants and two losses by Atlanta.
Diamondbacks-Giants probable starters
Monday: Arizona LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-3, 5.09) vs. San Francisco RHP Hayden Birdsong (4-5, 4.74)
Tuesday: Arizona RHP Brandon Pfaadt (10-9, 4.66) vs. San Francisco RHP Logan Webb (12-10, 3.58)
Wednesday: Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (13-6, 3.74) vs. San Francisco RHP Mason Black (1-4, 5.88)
Rodriguez and Pfaadt are coming off their best starts of the season, respectively. Rodriguez threw 6.1 innings with two earned runs and 11 strikeouts on Wednesday in Colorado, and Pfaadt followed with seven innings on one-run ball and 12 punch outs Thursday in Milwaukee. Pfaadt struck out a club-record seven straight batters.
Gallen starting on Wednesday would line him up for Game 1 of a potential Wild Card Series next week. He would not have a full four days of rest by Sunday’s regular season finale.
The D-backs will miss Giants ace left-hander Blake Snell, although they knocked out the 2023 Cy Young winner in one inning earlier this month.
That said, Webb has always been a handful for Arizona with a 2.51 ERA over 11 starts against the D-backs in his career — including seven scoreless innings in April. The right-hander has been more vulnerable than usual of late, however, with a 6.58 ERA and .306 opposing batting average over his last five starts.
