Arizona Diamondbacks Editorial: Four Takeaways From Week 1

2. The Starting Rotation hasn’t Gotten the Job Done

One half of the pitching has done their job, and the other half hasn’t. The starting rotation is putting way to much pressure on the pen and the bottom line is they need to step it up.

The rotation simply isn’t pitching enough innings. So far this season, the starters have thrown 30.1 innings as a team which ranks twenty-eighth in baseball only ahead of the Orioles and the Cubs.

The starters have a 5.64 ERA with 24 strikeouts, and 13 walks and a .341 BAA (Batting Average Against)

Coming into tonight’s game with the Padres, only Archie Bradley had gone more than five innings in a start, and the starters ERA is only ahead of the Brewers (6.15) and the Twins (6.61).

There are a couple of things that explain this. First, Dbacks starters are throwing way to many pitches per inning, and pitches per plate appearance.

Diamondbacks starters are throwing 3.90 P/PA which ranks as the 8th most in baseball, and they have thrown a league worst 18.64 pitches per inning.

That is very concerning for a number of reasons. More pitches per inning obviously leads to higher pitch counts which means more work for the bullpen.

It can have a ripple effect over the course of a long season. Starters are throwing more pitches which could result in dead arms by the end of the season, and the bullpen is being overworked.

It just always seems like starters are always getting the count to 3-2 which is never a good thing because it gives hitters more pitches to see.

Here is the one surprising part of the starters so far this season: Dbacks starters have gotten more ground balls (43.7%) than fly balls (26.2%).