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Diamondbacks Show Grit in Rollercoaster Series Against the Marlins
It’s been quite a ride for the Arizona Diamondbacks as they continued their series against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field. Game #82 on June 28 marked the official start of the second half of the season, and fans came in hopeful — looking for consistency from a team that's shown flashes of brilliance, but also bouts of frustrating unpredictability.
One of the headline stories wasn’t about who was playing, but who wasn’t . First baseman Josh Naylor remained out of the lineup for the second straight game, still dealing with pain in his shoulder and neck. Though he's improving, there’s no timetable just yet. Meanwhile, outfielder Corbin Carroll is still sidelined on the 10-day IL with a broken bone in his wrist. Manager Torey Lovullo shared that Carroll is progressing through fundamentals but still can’t swing a bat — it's more about pain tolerance now than risk of reinjury.
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On the diamond, one of the early bright spots came from Ketel Marte, who crushed his 17th homer of the season, sending a deep message to the Marlins and giving Arizona the edge. Jake McCarthy also made noise with a well-timed triple, showing how clutch he can be in tight situations.
Behind the scenes, the bullpen saw a shake-up. The D-backs selected right-hander John Curtiss from Triple-A Reno and designated Tayler Scott for assignment. It's not personal, of course — but remembering how to spell “TaylEr” instead of “TaylOr” was never fun for beat writers. Curtiss, who has a bit more big-league experience than Scott, brings a career ERA+ of 106. Still, his 6.34 ERA in Reno and the seven home runs allowed in just over 32 innings don’t exactly inspire confidence. But hey, at least he’s close to the team average in Triple-A, which feels like the faintest of praise.
On the mound, Eduardo Rodriguez followed up a stellar 10-strikeout start against the White Sox with a gutsy performance, settling in after giving up a first-inning run. He’s been sharp over his last four outings, and his current stretch might be the best we’ve seen from him since joining the club.
Looking ahead, the D-backs’ pitching schedule is packed. Ryne Nelson, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly are all slated to face the Giants in a critical home stand. Gallen in particular has had a rough go recently, with a 5.75 ERA, but the potential for a bounce-back is always there.
It’s a crucial stretch for Arizona as they attempt to climb back into the playoff race. The pieces are there — power hitting, depth in the rotation, and flashes of bullpen competency. But the question remains: Can they put it all together in time to make a serious run?
We’re watching, waiting, and hoping. One pitch, one game, one series at a time.
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