Diamondbacks face Braves in Yilber Diaz’s MLB debut

The Arizona Diamondbacks return home today after a thrilling road trip against two division rivals. Each game was either a nail-biting showdown or a massive brawl, making for 6 fantastic games for D-backs fans. The club managed to go an impressive 4-2 against the Dodgers and Padres, and will need to continue their strong play as they face the Atlanta Braves in Phoenix.

The Braves have been considered one of the best clubs in MLB for years, with a strong culture and incredible depth. However, 2024 has been a big test for Atlanta. Injuries have affected them significantly, with reigning MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. and star pitcher Spencer Strider both out for the season.

While they were favored to win the NL East, they have since fallen to the Philadelphia Phillies, who have become one of the league’s top clubs. While the Braves are eight games behind the division lead, they hold a three-game lead in the Wild Card standings over the St. Louis Cardinals.

This 4 game series against the Braves continues a very tough stretch for Arizona that is testing the team’s potential. So far, they have played well, winning 3 straight series and 6 of their last 8 games.

While every game in this series has a competitive edge, tonight’s game brings something extra special. Before the game, the Diamondbacks recalled Yilber Diaz, their No. 16 prospect who will start against Atlanta.

Yilber Diaz, 1-3, 3.27 ERA, 3.78 FIP in 22 IP in AAA

Diaz will make his MLB debut today at Chase Field. Like Cristian Mena last week, Diaz will be thrown from the frying pan into the fire against a tough Braves team. Still, the young right-hander appears up to the task.

His last start with AAA Reno showed why the team had faith in him to fill that spot. He pitched 6 scoreless innings, with 13 strikeouts and just 2 walks. Diamondbacks fans should be excited to see another member of their young future take the mound today.

Manager Torey Lovullo reflected on Diaz’s incredible rise to the big leagues today. “It’s a great story. A lot of people touched his life, he accepted great coaching and grew up in our system.”

Diaz is one of several young arms to emerge within the Diamondbacks organization in recent years, joining Brandon Pfaadt, Slade Cecconi and Ryne Nelson in the active rotation.

“Command has improved quickly,” Lovullo said. “His last outing with Reno was a success, and we want that to be the case here. We want to tell all of our (young pitchers) that it’s the same game, same size plate, the kids just have to throw the pitches where they want to and follow the game plan. He’s ready for this opportunity.”

Diaz has quickly risen through the ranks this year, showing up early while still with AA Amarillo, and recently promoted to the Reno Aces. “He’s got a great opportunity to shine,” Lovullo said, and in front of a big home crowd at Chase Field, he’ll be ready to make his mark in a tight race for the Wild Card early.

Bryce Elder, 1-3, 5.76 ERA, 4.69 FIP in 29.2 IP

Elder is coming off a solid 2023 campaign, but he has fallen off his feet in 2024. He has been in the minor leagues for much of the season so far, making just 6 starts for Atlanta thus far. While his ERA sits near 6, his FIP in a small sample size could suggest some positive regression. Still, his 6.98 K/9 leaves the Diamondbacks as a good team to not get eliminated in a favorable matchup.

The Diamondbacks’ offense has been playing well lately. They were able to score late in games in San Diego, something they lacked earlier in the season. They have scored at least 5 runs in each of their last 7 games and at least 7 runs in their last 5.

Much of Arizona’s latest win came from Eugenio Suarez. The D-backs’ third baseman struggled mightily early in the year, but he’s shown some very positive signs of late. Since June 25, Suarez is batting .343/.452/.571 with a 1.024 OPS and a 189 wRc+.

His batting discipline has also taken a positive turn. Having a more lively bat would be a huge boost to the Diamondbacks lineup and would take some of the stress off other parts of the order.

Christian Walker has had a great season, not being selected to the All-Star Game so far and not being voted Player of the Week by Brenton Doyle. Over the past week, he hit 5 home runs, all in Los Angeles, had 11 hits and drove in an incredible 11 runs.

Jarred Kelenic has been one of the most interesting additions to the Braves roster this offseason. He was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners last winter and has flourished in his new home. Currently, the former top prospect has a wRc+ of 115 with a WAR of 1.3. He has homered in 4 of his last 6 hits, but he is an easy power threat at leadoff.

The Braves’ lineup lacks momentum with Ronald Acuna Jr. out for the year, but Marcell Ozuna is making up some of that weight with a fantastic year. His 162 wRc+ against designated hitters put him in the MVP conversation early this year and earned him an All-Star selection. Hitting fifth in today’s lineup for Atlanta, his 23 home runs already will need to be managed in this series.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will take on the Atlanta Braves at 6:40 p.m. Arizona time at Chase Field. Stay tuned to “Inside the Diamondbacks” as we continue to bring you live coverage of all things D-backs!