The Arizona Diamondbacks wrap up a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a Thursday matinee starting at 12:40 p.m. The game can be seen on Bally Sports Arizona.
The Diamondbacks dropped Thursday’s series finale to the Rays, 6-1, in a game that was overshadowed by an injury to Corbin Carroll.
The rookie star spent his third-inning at-bat moving his right shoulder and neck in apparent discomfort. His only swing came on the final pitch of the at-bat, in which he struck out. He looked to be in notable pain after the swing and walked off gingerly before being looked at by a team trainer.
Carroll remained in the game for the fourth inning but was replaced by Jake McCarthy to start the fifth. The Diamondbacks described the injury as “right shoulder soreness.” Carroll underwent surgery on that shoulder in 2021 to repair tears to his labrum and posterior capsule.
On the field, the Diamondbacks chances withered early. Brandon Pfaadt entered the third inning with his performance as a mixed bag, having allowed some hard contact (including a solo home run) but also having recorded three strikeouts.
In the third, though, Pfaadt fell apart. He threw 35 pitches, faced seven batters and did not record an out. The Rays scored five runs in the inning to blow the game open.
Pfaadt was the organization’s top pitching prospect when he was called up in May. In that stint in the majors, he posted an 8.37 ERA in five months. He was recalled Thursday with Merrill Kelly going on the 15-day injured list due to a blood clot and the Diamondbacks hoping he had made strides during five starts back in Triple-A. If he did, those strides were not evident against the Rays, although Tampa Bay does have the best offense in baseball.
The Diamondbacks’ lone run came on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. home run as they avoided being shut out for the first time this season.
This series was the second time this month that the Diamondbacks fell one out short of a series win against one of the two best teams in baseball. They lost the finale against the Braves on June 4 on a ninth inning grand slam and dropped the second game of this set Wednesday when they blew a 2-0 ninth inning lead.
—Theo Mackie
Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll exits with right shoulder soreness
Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll has been removed from Thursday’s game against the Rays. Jake McCarthy took his place in right field to start the top of the fifth inning.
The Diamondbacks are describing Carroll’s injury as “right shoulder soreness.” While in the minor leagues in 2021, he underwent surgery to repair tears in the labrum and posterior capsule of that shoulder. It is unclear whether this injury is related.
During his at-bat to end the third inning, Carroll was moving his neck and right shoulder between each pitch. After striking out with his only swing of the at-bat, he appeared to be in notable pain and walked off slowly, where he was looked at by a team trainer. He stayed in the game to play the field in the fourth inning before being removed.
The Diamondbacks trail, 6-0. The potential of injury to their rookie sensation, though, overshadows any on-field result. Carroll is hitting .290 with a .925 OPS and has been among the best all-around players in baseball with 24 stolen bases and strong defense at all three outfield positions.
Carroll missed two games earlier this season after crashing into the outfield fence at Coors Field on April 29. He has otherwise been healthy throughout his major league career.
—Theo Mackie
Diamondbacks rookie Brandon Pfaadt hammered by Rays
Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt was pounded for six runs in two-plus innings on Thursday afternoon, exiting in the third with the Tampa Bay Rays leading, 6-0, at Chase Field.
Pfaadt served up a first-inning home run to Luke Raley and did not retire any of the seven batters he faced in the third inning, a frame in which he allowed five runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter.
The Diamondbacks had been hopeful Pfaadt had made adjustments in the minors that would lead to better results in the majors, but the outing only extends his struggles, which included a rough five-start run of starts in the big leagues last month.
—Nick Piecoro
Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly feeling better after blood clot scare
Merrill Kelly did not sound overly concerned about being diagnosed with his second blood clot in the past three years, but that doesn’t mean the Diamondbacks right-hander is in a rush to get back on the mound.
“My main priority is, obviously, to make sure that this is taken care of and gone, first and foremost,” Kelly said. “And then we can kind of go, baseball-wise, after that.”
Kelly said he awoke on Sunday morning in San Francisco with his right leg swollen from the knee down, prompting Diamondbacks trainer Ryan DiPanfilo to send him for an ultrasound, which confirmed DiPanfilo’s suspicion.
“Because there was no mechanism — there was nothing that I did on a pitch or nothing that I did on a step — and with how puffy it was, that given my history of having one, he didn’t like the way it looked,” Kelly said. “Nothing was adding up in his mind. So he said he’d rather cross it off the list before we get on the plane.”
Three years ago, a blood clot was discovered in Kelly’s right shoulder, an issue that ultimately led to him undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
Kelly on Sunday was prescribed blood-thinning medication and remained in San Francisco, flying home the next day after the medication had taken effect.
He said Wednesday the swelling had subsided “a little bit” and that he felt he was trending in the right direction. He played catch out to 90 feet on Wednesday and said the plan was for him to undergo a follow-up ultrasound in a week — presumably on Sunday or Monday — to check the progress before potentially ramping up activities.
Kelly said he is taking comfort in the fact that doctors have not sounded panicked after this clot like they were in 2020. He said he also benefitted from reaching out to former Diamondbacks reliever Ian Kennedy, who dealt with a similar issue last year.
“It sounded very, very similar,” Kelly said. “But he said after the thinners, he felt way better in three or four days. He was joking around, saying, ‘Don’t let them put you on the IL.’ He was saying, ‘I felt better after four days and I sat around for another 12.’ So that was another piece that gave me a little bit of calm.”
—Nick Piecoro
Thursday’s Diamondbacks-Rays pitching matchup
Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (0-2, 8.37) vs. Rays RHP Yonny Chirinos (3-3, 3.91).
The Diamondbacks are expected to recall Pfaadt from Triple-A to start Thursday’s game, although they have not yet made an official announcement. Pfaadt struggled in five starts in May before being sent down, but has found a groove of late in Reno. … In his last three starts, he has a 2.41 ERA with 23 strikeouts and just one walk in 18 2/3 innings. … The one concerning sign is that four of the five runs Pfaadt has allowed in that span came via the home run. He allowed eight homers in his five MLB starts last month. … The Rays sometimes use an opener ahead of Chirinos, but seem set to have Chirinos start Thursday’s game with their bullpen having been used heavily of late. … Chirinos’ last start was his worst of the season. He allowed eight runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Royals, increasing his ERA by over a run in the process. … Chrinos has struck out a paltry 4.3 batters per nine innings this year, down from a career rate of 7.6 entering the year.
Coming up
Friday: At Los Angeles, 6:38 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Tommy Henry (4-1, 4.31) vs. Angels RHP Griffin Canning (6-2, 3.99).
Saturday: At Los Angeles, 7:07 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (4-4, 4.97) vs. Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (4-2, 5.54).
Sunday: At Los Angeles, 1:07 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (10-2, 3.02) vs. Angels LHP Reid Detmers (1-5, 3.77).
Early Diamondbacks-Rays reading
Predictable? Shocking? Diamondbacks reach season’s halfway point leading NL West
Finding a fix: Brent Strom aiming to fix Zach Davies’ struggles for Diamondbacks
New reality: Evan Longoria thriving in part-time role for Diamondbacks
Another road block: Arizona prospect Druw Jones sidelined again due to injury
In the voting mix: Carroll, Gurriel Jr. 2023 MLB All-Star Game finalists for D-Backs
