The Arizona Diamondbacks fell to the Houston Astros for the second consecutive time on Tuesday night, threatening to erase the momentum gained from their recent successful sweep. With just seven games remaining before the trade deadline, Arizona, now holding a 50-52 record, will try to prevent a series sweep during their Wednesday afternoon matchup set for 12:40 p.m.
Pitching Battle Highlights Brandon Pfaadt’s Opportunity to Shine
Brandon Pfaadt, the latest starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks, aims to build on recent improvements after struggling through difficult months in May and June. In his last two starts, Pfaadt delivered some of his best performances this season. On July 9, he pitched eight innings for the first time in his career while allowing only two runs in a win. He followed that with a strong seven-inning shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 18, helping the Diamondbacks complete a sweep.
Pfaadt’s command of his signature sweeper pitch has been impressive lately. Additionally, he has been working with injured Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes to add a cutter to his pitching repertoire. Although the Astros are currently missing several key hitters, Pfaadt faces significant pressure to maintain his form to stop a sweep and continue his recent rise.
The Astros will start left-hander Brandon Walter, marking the third straight game the Diamondbacks will face a lefty pitcher. Walter has shown strong consistency across his eight starts this season, sporting a 3.66 ERA and a 2.95 expected ERA. In his last two outings, Walter has produced six-inning quality starts, surrendering just five hits, one walk, three runs, and striking out 14 batters.
Walter’s pitching arsenal is varied, but he particularly relies on an 88 mph cutter, alongside a sweeper, low-90s four-seam fastball, changeup, and sinker. Interestingly, opponents have hit the cutter hard, slugging .667 against it. Despite this, Walter remains effective at limiting walks with a 1.6% walk rate, maintaining a strikeout rate of 9.06 per nine innings, and reducing hard contact.
Managing Diamondbacks and Astros Bullpens as Game Approaches
The Diamondbacks utilized relievers Kevin Ginkel, Jake Woodford, and Kyle Backhus during Tuesday’s game. While Woodford threw 32 pitches and may be less available, Backhus and Ginkel combined for only 23 pitches, leaving both potentially ready for Wednesday’s contest if the situation demands.
Houston’s bullpen saw setup pitchers Bryan Abreu and Bryan King close out Tuesday’s game without needing closer Josh Hader, who pitched on Monday. Neither Abreu nor King exceeded 13 pitches, so they, along with Hader, are likely to be options if the upcoming game remains close.
Diamondbacks’ Urgency Intensifies as Trade Deadline Nears
With so few games left before the trade deadline, the Diamondbacks are under significant pressure to perform well and build momentum to remain competitive. Brandon Pfaadt’s development into a reliable starter could be pivotal in stabilizing the team’s pitching staff during this crucial stretch. Meanwhile, the battle against the Astros, even with some of their key hitters sidelined, remains intense given Houston’s strong pitching lineup.
As the Diamondbacks seek to halt Houston’s sweep, the outcome of this game could have important implications for their season trajectory and future roster moves.