The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, two of the more active teams at the trade deadline last week, will have a different look on Monday evening when they meet in the opener of a three-game series in Phoenix.
The teams enter on divergent paths, however. The Padres have won seven of eight games entering their short three-game trip, while the Diamondbacks lost nine of 10 contests before beating the Athletics in the final two games of a weekend series.
Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (10-7, 5.11 ERA) will start the opener on Monday against left-hander JP Sears (7-9, 4.95), who will make his first Padres start after being acquired from the Athletics at the trade deadline.
Pfaadt allowed two runs on four hits in a career-high eight innings of an 8-2 victory over San Diego on July 9.
The Padres, who are 13-7 since that game, have a four-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds for the third and final wild-card berth in the National League.
The Diamondbacks are nine games behind the Padres, a stretch that triggered the decisions to deal free-agents-to-be Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly, Josh Naylor and Randal Grichuk before the trade deadline.
San Diego bulked up by acquiring Sears, reliever Mason Miller and outfielders Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn in a series of trades that involved 22 players.
“Getting these guys is definitely an upgrade, definitely a help,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. “It sends a message that we’re ready to win, and we’re going to go for it. They’re putting the faith in us.”
The D-backs went 3-6 on their longest road trip of the season, capping it with a 6-4 victory Sunday over the A’s.
Players said they were energized by a team meeting called by general manager Mike Hazen after the Diamondbacks’ moves.
“From a team standpoint, it motivated the hell out of us,” said Blaze Alexander, who homered Sunday and has started at third base since Suarez was traded to Seattle.
“It motivated me. This is my opportunity. I’m running at it full steam ahead. I’m going to take advantage of every day I’m out there with these guys. I get to play with some of the best players in the world. Ketel Marte. Corbin Carroll.”
Pfaadt is tied for fourth in the National League in victories, but his ERA is the third-highest in the majors among qualifiers because of a few hiccups in what has been an otherwise steady season.
He gave up seven runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 12-2 loss at Detroit on Tuesday the last time out. Pfaadt has given up at least six earned runs in four starts this season. He is 2-2 with a 3.24 ERA in seven career starts versus the Padres, the most starts he has made against any team. Luis Arraez is 10-for-19 with two doubles against him and Jake Cronenworth is 8-for-19.
Arraez extended his hitting streak to 16 games in a 7-3 victory over St. Louis on Sunday and is batting .298 for the season.
Sears has faced the Diamondbacks on just one occasion, giving up three runs on five hits in six innings of a no-decision last season. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has homered against him in three plate appearances.
–Field Level Media
