PHOENIX — Before Game 4 of the World Series, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was asked if he would prefer to have a fourth starter, as opposed to a roster that required a bullpen game.
What did he prefer? Well, all things considered, the manager said, he knew what he preferred.
“Drysdale, Gibson, Koufax, Gooden, you name it,” Lovullo said with a laugh. “Let’s start right there.”
To state the obvious: The Diamondbacks do not have Drysdale or Gibson or Koufax or Gooden. They do not have much starting pitching depth, period. But after their bullpen effort blew up in their faces in Game 4, they will turn to ace Zac Gallen in Game 5, hoping to save a season now on the brink. The Rangers’ 11–7 victory on Tuesday puts them a game away from clinching the first championship in team history. And the way it played out makes the path ahead rather treacherous for the Diamondbacks.
AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Tuesday was positioned as a bullpen game for both teams. But the Rangers jumped out to such a comfortable early lead that it was possible for them to stick with “starter” Andrew Heaney so long that he seemed more like an actual starter. Heaney pitched five innings of one-run ball. (Texas was up 10–1 when he exited.) The Rangers did not have to use any of their high-leverage arms other than José Leclerc, who was tasked with recording just the final out. They already had Nathan Eovaldi lined up to start Game 5—the pitcher on this roster best suited to give them length. He’ll now also have the peace of mind that comes with a decently rested ‘pen behind him. The Rangers have been vexed by injuries this series. (Both star outfielder Adolis García and veteran pitcher Max Scherzer had to be replaced on the roster ahead of Game 4.) But it’s still hard to imagine they could be in a more favorable situation right now.
The D-Backs, meanwhile, are in a bind. They were down 10–0 by the end of the third on Tuesday, and they got there only by using Joe Mantiply, Miguel Castro, Kyle Nelson and Luis Frías. That Arizona got five-plus effective innings from Ryne Nelson was a gift to the rest of the ‘pen. And a silver lining to falling behind as quickly as they did was the fact that they did not have to touch any of their best late-inning arms: Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald did not see the mound in Game 4.
But whether that trio of arms gets a chance to work meaningful innings in Game 5 will depend largely on Gallen. The D-Backs’ ace was among the best pitchers this year in the National League. But his playoff performance has been a mixed bag. Gallen has a 5.27 ERA in his five starts this postseason, including a solid outing to seal the wild-card series, a disastrous one to start the NLCS and a decent one that ultimately ended in heartbreak in Game 1 of the World Series.
“He is a human being,” Lovullo said. “He’s going to have some good and bad moments. I think the reason why we're seeing him in this point in time probably not throwing up nothing but zeros is command of his pitches, command of his secondary stuff… Just gotta be more efficient with his pitches, where they land and sequence them in the right way. And he's working on that right now.”
The D-Backs’ fate rests on more than Gallen. To win in Game 5, for instance, they will also need offensive production from someone besides Ketel Marte. But Gallen’s confidence in his curveball and his changeup will be key. The path to a potential Game 6 will be very difficult without it.
