The Diamondbacks find themselves in a critical 13-game stretch with no rest days. They’re already 0-2 in this stretch having dropped back-to-back games to the Rangers, so the next 11 games could make or break their season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!As the team heads to New York to face the Mets for a four-game series, here are some storylines about the Diamondbacks over the past couple of days to recap on.
Jordan Montgomery gets World Series ring from Rangers
Jordan Montgomery was a member of the 2023 Texas Rangers rotation, starting Game 2. While Montgomery was the only losing pitcher for Texas in that series, his strong contributions down the stretch and earlier in the postseason helped push the Rangers into the World Series in the first place. He was a major trade deadline pickup for Texas, who traded prospects Tekoah Roby and Thomas Saggese to St. Louis.
Jordan Montgomery is back at Globe Life Field and receives his 2023 World Series ring from Bruce Bochy and Chris Young. ???? pic.twitter.com/sp1iykECId
— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2024
Montgomery signed a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks, who returned to Globe Life Field to play the Rangers. Before the first game, the Rangers presented him with his World Series championship ring. That included an embrace from manager Bruce Bochy.
Prospects start rehab games
Diamondbacks top prospect Jordan Lawlar began playing rehab games on Wednesday, appearing for the team’s complex league affiliaJte. Lawlar had three plate appearances, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout looking. He played five innings at the shortstop position before getting lifted for Yerald Nin. Lawlar has been out since the end of March, when he ruptured the ulnar collateral ligament of his right thumb in defensive drills.
Jorge Barrosa has also played rehab games, playing in four games at the complex. He’s 4-for-16 at the plate and has completed two games in center field. Barrosa has yet to play in back-to-back games in this rehab process, which could be the next step before he’s activated to play for the organization’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno. Getting him back healthy could have an impact on the outfield situation at the major league level.
Two hidden gem prospects in Hillsboro
These two prospects on the Hillsboro Hops roster didn’t appear on a Top 30 list before the season, but they’ve made quite an impact this season. Those two players are left-hander Spencer Giesting and infielder/outfielder Andrew Pintar. Neither player has a high draft pedigree, but have the type of talent that can play at the major league level.
Giesting in particular has really flashed. In eight starts, he has a 0.94 ERA with 55 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 48 innings. He’s completed seven innings in each of his past three starts, allowing a total of three runs. He’s a candidate for a midseason promotion to Double-A Amarillo, as the organization tries to put him in a more challenging environment. With a low-90s fastball and a solid breaking ball, he profiles as a bullpen arm at the minimum, although the strong track record would allow him to start further.
Pintar has blossomed now that he’s fully healthy. Injuries dropped him to the fifth round of the 2022 draft, then held him to only 58 games in 2023. The former infielder has now transitioned to a full-time outfielder, with 43 starts in center field. Pintar is batting .276 with six doubles, three triples, seven home runs, and a .840 OPS in 43 games.
Despite the low average, his ability to draw walks and provide extra-base hit impact makes him an interesting bat. FanGraphs rates his offense to be 43% better than the average player in the pitcher-friendly Northwest League. His walk rate sits at 14.5%, which ranks well compared to a 18.1% strikeout rate. He’s also been an impact player on the bases, with 14 steals in 15 attempts. He profiles as an interesting bench bat who has center field and middle infield versatility, but mostly as a right-handed hitting fourth outfielder.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Cardinals for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
