Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
PHOENIX — If the Arizona Diamondbacks can live up to the Answerbacks moniker that they’ve adopted throughout October as the calendar flips to November, what happened in the final innings of their Game 4 loss will be where the latest story in a postseason full of surprises begins.
Arizona was down 10-1 entering the eighth inning on Tuesday night, but instead of rolling over, Arizona made Texas work — and perhaps most importantly, use closer Jose Leclerc — by scoring six runs in the final two innings of what turned into an 11-7 loss. Down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series isn’t an enviable position to be in, but after their late awakening, the D-backs actually feeling like there’s a little momentum on their side.
“Got the fans engaged,” manager Torey Lovullo said after the game. “Got a ton of energy. Got their closer in the game. There was a lot of positives to draw upon, and I will.”
Is it wishful thinking or something real? Lovullo’s upbeat attitude permeated the clubhouse after the Game 4 defeat, and it was a more upbeat feeling than the last time the Diamondbacks got down big — when they lost Game 2 of the National League Championship Series 10-0 and appeared overmatched by a Philadelphia Phillies team they would eventually oust in seven games.
Now Arizona will have to take this World Series the distance to end an improbable run with a championship celebration. First, it starts with Game 5 on Wednesday night, and it helps to have one of their aces on the mound again after struggling in a bullpen game. With his team’s season on the line, Zac Gallen will get a second chance at a Rangers offense that tagged him for three runs on four hits and four walks over five innings in the World Series opener.
“I don’t get a sense that anyone is worried,” reliever Ryan Thompson stated. “I’m not worried. This is going to sound crazy, but I like where we’re at. Our backs have been against the wall since day one. This feeling is not new to us. We got the best pitcher in the world starting for us. We lost this game but the end of this game was on our side.”
Thompson may like having his ace on the mound in Game 5, but the D-backs will also be up against one of baseball’s top big-game pitchers with Nathan Eovaldi set to get the ball for the Rangers. And Gallen’s 5.27 postseason ERA doesn’t exactly match the best-in-world label his reliever gave him.
The first task on Gallen’s Game 5 to-do list will be attempting to limit the guy who has lit up D-backs pitching throughout this series, Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. He’s as hot as anyone right now, having hit three home runs off three different pitchers and three different pitches. Seager’s latest long ball came off a slider in Game 4, a day after he went deep on a Game 3 change-up. And, of course, there’s the dramatic Game 1-tying shot he hit off a fastball thrown by Arizona closer Paul Sewald.
“He’s locked in,” Gallen told ESPN late Tuesday night. “That’s what you see of the teams left standing. Someone is locked in. He’s always been a good player. I’m not shocked. You have to pick your spots when the time comes. That’s what it ultimately comes down to.”
Solving Seager is easier said than done, but there is one factor that could work in Gallen’s favor, though it clearly did not in Game 5. With Adolis Garcia unavailable due to an oblique injury, the Diamondbacks have one less big bat to worry about in the deep Texas lineup. On Tuesday, Marcus Semien stepped up at the top of the lineup, but that doesn’t change the plan for facing Seager: Proceed with caution.
“We’ve done a really good job of picking and choosing which guys we don’t think can beat us,” Thompson said. “We neutralized [Freddie] Freeman and [Mookie] Betts really well in the divisional round. With the Phillies, we got off to a slow start with [Kyle] Schwarber and [Bryce] Harper but then slowed them down. I do think there needs a little more emphasis on Seager not beating us, but at the same time that’s been our plan from the get-go.
“The more unpredictable we can be in the zone the better.”
While Gallen deals with Seager, Semien and the rest of Texas’ hitters, the Diamondbacks know they need their offense to show up early and often with their season on the line. In two home games this series, Arizona scored just one run in Game 3 and didn’t put up a crooked number in Game 4 until after the outcome was decided. Still, Arizona’s hitters are looking at that late onslaught as inspiration going into Game 5.
“It certainly does help,” Tommy Pham said of the late-inning offense. “We’ve put ourselves in a very tough spot right now. It’s going to take a lot.”
While the end of Game 4 provided a window of hope, the D-backs’ biggest advantage might actually come from the experience gained in facing similar situations throughout this postseason: Arizona was down 2-0 and 3-2 in the NLCS against the Phillies but managed to extend and ultimately win the series.
First baseman Christian Walker said the biggest thing the D-backs learned was to “come in the next day and just be themselves,” which is what they plan on doing as they file into the Chase Field clubhouse on Wednesday knowing it could be their last game of the season..
“One thing I can promise is we’re going to fight as hard as we can every pitch,” Walker said. “We’ve had our backs against the wall before. We’re going to leave it all on the field.”
The attitude that the D-backs believe will permeate through 26 players on their roster for however many games are left starts with their manager. If there’s one person who won’t give in until the final out, it’s Lovullo. He has been an open book throughout every media session of the postseason, wearing his emotions on his sleeve whether standing up to the doubters or celebrating another series victory.
For all of their newfound experience and the belief that comes with it, the task is even tougher than last round. The Diamondbacks need to win three in a row — starting with Game 5 on Wednesday night. Can the Answerbacks do it again?
“It’s an all-in mentality,” Lovullo said. “And this team has done it every time I can remember. They’ve never let one another down. And I expect that to be the same.”
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
SAN FRANCISCO — Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers is dealing with a disk injury in his lower back that has limited his production since joining his new club.
Manager Bob Melvin is hopeful Devers won’t require a stint on the injured list given the upcoming time off for the All-Star break.
Devers has begun anti-inflammatory medication for the irritation symptoms he is experiencing and is playing through the issue. He underwent an MRI exam Thursday.
“He went on some medication, feels a little bit better today. We’ll see how he responds to that,” Melvin said Friday. “I’m glad we got the MRI done so we know what’s going on.”
Acquired last month from the Red Sox, Devers entered the series opener Friday against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers batting .245 with 23 strikeouts, four doubles, a home run and six RBIs over his past 14 games dating to June 26. He was hitting .261 with 17 homers and 67 RBIs overall.
The Giants took on Devers’ mega contract when they traded for him June 15 to boost their offense after the slugger made it known he didn’t want to play first base for Boston. But he arrived in the Bay Area insisting he would do anything asked of him to help San Francisco win.
A three-time All-Star, Devers signed a $313.5 million, 10-year contract with the Red Sox in 2023.
On Friday, he was in the lineup as DH batting third. He isn’t ready to play the field, including first base, where he has been doing regular fielding work.
“He feels it mostly running, probably a little bit at the plate, but not as much as when he’s running bases,” Melvin said. “I think with the break hopefully [he’ll be OK]. I think he’s been playing through it for a little bit, basically since he’s been here. It’s the reason he’s not out in the field right now.”
Arenado, who was 1-for-3, was replaced in the seventh inning by Thomas Saggese. While it was unclear how Arenado hurt the finger, it is the same injury that kept him out of two games last week during a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Arenado has 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.