The Arizona Diamondbacks will turn to right-hander Michael Soroka as they try to gain ground in the National League wild-card race when they face the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night in Phoenix.
Soroka (8-5, 3.53 ERA) was chosen to start over Zac Gallen in what has become a must-win stretch as the Diamondbacks chase the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres for one of three NL wild-card berths.
The Padres’ 9-1 record in the past 10 games has moved the team within 1 1/2 games of the Cubs and one game of the Phillies. The Diamondbacks (80-71) are 2 1/2 games behind the Padres in the race for the NL’s third and final wild card.
Right-hander Janson Junk (6-9, 4.54 ERA) will start for the Marlins (74-77) on Tuesday in the second game of a three-game series.
Corbin Carroll walked off the Marlins 8-7 with a two-run, 423-foot homer with one out in the ninth Monday. Arizona overcame two three-run deficits in the game.
“We know what is going on around us,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “To win a game like (that) is one of those catalyst-type of games that pushes you forward. Every game is a four-alarm fire, for sure.”
“Dire? Yes,” he continued. “We got to win every inning of every game. That’s the way I look at it.”
The Marlins lost more than a game Monday. Closer Pete Fairbanks is likely to miss the rest of the season after pitching to just one batter in the ninth because of right median nerve irritation that has landed him on the injured list twice this season. He was making his second appearance since being activated Wednesday.
Arizona right-hander Corbin Burnes, who has made just two starts this season after recovering from Tommy John surgery, went 4 2/3 innings in his second start of the season Monday, and Soroka will make his second appearance since returning from the injured list due to right shoulder and arm inflammation.
Lovullo called the decision to start Soroka instead of Gallen “very tough.”
“It was probably Michael Soroka and his ability to go out there and command the baseball and create swing-and-miss,” Lovullo said. “That, to me, is what won the race. I just feel like Mike, at this time, is going to give us the best chance to win a baseball game.”
The numbers support the move.
Soroka has made seven quality starts among his 18 starts this season and has given up seven homers in 99 1/3 innings.
Gallen, who missed two months with right elbow inflammation, is 3-9 with a 6.22 ERA in 20 starts (three quality). He has given up 19 homers in 101 1/3 innings, with a 1.57 WHIP.
Both pitchers were used in a piggyback situation in a 5-2 loss at Kansas City on Wednesday, when Gallen started and gave up two runs (one earned) in 3 1/3 innings. Soroka gave up a game-deciding, three-run homer while pitching the final four innings.
Soroka is 3-1 with a 1.90 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against the Marlins.
Junk will make his 23rd start of the season in his second career outing against Arizona. He gave up five runs (four earned) and seven hits in a 7-3 loss in Phoenix on April 12, 2023.
Junk struggled his last time out on Wednesday, giving up eight runs and eight hits in three innings of a 15-14 loss to the New York Mets. He did not figure into the decision.
“I feel like I’ve done a lot of good this season, and I feel like the scoreboard doesn’t really reflect my outing,” Junk said after that game. “So overall, take it on the chin and we move on.”
–Field Level Media
