PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks scored three runs over their last three games entering Saturday, and manager Torey Lovullo was clear on what has to improve from a team perspective.
Clearly there are individuals off to slow starts, but teamwide, Lovullo needs to see his team stop chasing pitches out of the strike zone.
The Diamondbacks have swung at nearly a third of pitches out of the zone through eight games (33%), the fifth highest clip in Major League Baseball, according to Statcast.
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This is an area of the game where Arizona thrived in 2023 and 2024 (less than 27%) but was middle of the pack last year. It is very early, but this is an issue that is not sustainable.
“Our chase rate is extremely high right now,” Lovullo said. “If we zone in, try not to do too much, wait for our pitch, it‘s the art of hitting and the beauty of baseball. When you do it, it’s sweet music. When you chase, you get yourself into bad counts.
“Pitchers have nasty stuff. You’ve got to slow the game down, swing at strikes, see the baseball, understand what the at-bat is asking for. That’s the simplicity of hitting for me. We’re a little bit anxious trying to do too much, in my opinion.”
By contrast, the Diamondbacks’ 62% swing rate on pitches in the zone is the third lowest in baseball, which is closer to standard for this team.
Lovullo said that other than Geraldo Perdomo, chase rates are up essentially across the board. Alek Thomas had the eighth highest in MLB entering Saturday, while Nolan Arenado, Gabriel Moreno and Carlos Santana were among the top 50.
The Diamondbacks are not even among the league leaders in swings-and-misses, but they are making contact with most of their chase swings. This is preventing them from barreling up the baseball in ways they have in the recent past.
After getting shut out on Friday by the Atlanta Braves, Arizona’s batting average dropped to .209 as a team with an on-base percentage of .275, which is problematic for a team that does not have the same slug capabilities as the previous couple seasons.
Chasing less won’t solve every problem with the lineup, but it is a recognizable fix for a team that typically prides itself on grinding out at-bats and getting on base.
“We’ve been challenged to score some runs this year, no doubt about it,” Lovullo said. “We’re going to figure that out. We’ve got great hitting coaches. They’ve got a proven track record. They’re going to figure it out with the boys. The boys are working their butts off.”
After Friday’s game, Lovullo said there are some core guys who have yet to get going, saying it was a matter of time.
Ketel Marte (.532 OPS), Perdomo (.683) and Moreno (.519) are in that camp of difference-makers the club expects to heat up.
from Arizona Sports https://ift.tt/8oDAGta
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