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PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 25: Pittsburgh Pirates fans walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday, June 25, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS | PIRATES |
|---|---|
| Corbin Carroll – RF | Jake Mangum – CF |
| Geraldo Perdomo – SS | Brandon Lowe – 2B |
| Gabriel Moreno – DH | Bryan Reynolds – LF |
| Ketel Marte – 2B | Esmerlyn Valdez – RF |
| Max Kepler – LF | Ryan O’Hearn – 1B |
| Nolan Arenado – 3B | Nick Gonzales – 3B |
| Tim Tawa – 1B | Endy Rodriguez – C |
| James McCann – C | Marcell Ozuna – DH |
| Ryan Waldschmidt – CF | Jacob Gonzalez – SS |
| Brandon Pfaadt – RHP | Bubba Chandler – RHP |
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The Diamondbacks bullpen has reverted to regular form since the All-Star break – and that’s not a good thing. Over 45 innings in the second half, they have a 4.60 ERA, which ranks them 23rd in the majors. That compared to an ERA exactly at four before the break, good enough for 13th – there hasn’t been a better ERA by the D-backs bullpen since 2018. That number was more or less in line with the peripherals: FIP 3.92, xFIP 4.12 and xERA 3.96. None of them great, but compared to what we’ve seen in previous season, mere competence from the Arizona relief corps feels like a breath of fresh air.
But since then, the peripherals have all taken a turn for the worse. Home-run rate, only marginally – up from 0.96 to 1.00 per nine innings. But the walk-rate has increased from 3.01 to 3.40, and they haven’t been striking out nearly the number of batters they were. It wasn’t great before: a K-rate of 7.86 per nine innings is tied for 25th in the majors by a bullpen. But that has plummeted to just 6.40: the Nationals (6.33) are the only other team with a K-rate below seven since the break. Kevin Ginkel has faced 26 batters with just three K’s. Taylor Clarke has faced 27 and struck out two. And Ryan Thompson? 23 batters without a single strikeout in the second half.
This matters, because fewer strikeouts = more balls in play, which will almost inevitably lead to more hits. That’s why we have a FIP of 4.56, xFIP of 4.76 and xERA of 4.56 – all up by approaching two-thirds of a run in the second half. Now, we are still in the somewhat small sample size range, but I do have to wonder if the heavy work-load in the first half for Arizona’s A-bullpen is leading to fatigue. We have six relievers with more than forty appearances (including all three of the pitchers mentioned above): no other team has more than that in 2026, with only the Yankees, Cardinals and Blue Jays having more than four such arms.
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