Due to the dangerous 1-2-3 punch of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman that the Dodgers deploy at the start of games, opposing managers face a constant headache. To counter this, Torey Lovullo chose to start left-handed reliever Joe Mantiply against Los Angeles in the 1st inning on Monday, instead of right-hander Slade Cecconi.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Mantiply effectively did his job, needing just seven pitches to get through the 1st inning.
But, things unraveled once Cecconi took the mound, especially when he faced the Dodgers‘ formidable trio of MVPs.
The bottom of the 3rd inning began with Kike Hernandez hitting a home run to tie the game at one run apiece. This homer was followed by two hits and a walk, to load the bases for Freddie Freeman.
Freeman on the 4th pitch that he saw, hit a 415-foot bomb, driving in four runs with one swing of the bat, blowing the game open.
The Dodgers ultimately ended up scoring six runs off Slade Cecconi in the 3rd inning. It was all the runs that they scored on the night, but it was also all that they needed as they walked away with a 6-4 win.
After the game, Torey Lovullo was noncommittal about Cecconi’s next start, refusing to specify when he would take the mound again, per Jesse Friedman at PHNX Sports.
Cecconi, who made his rookie debut last season, did not make the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster but was called up in late April due to injuries in the starting rotation. He began his 2024 campaign with promise, allowing just three runs across 12 innings in a couple of quality starts.
However, since then, the 24-year-old’s performance has declined significantly, with his ERA rising to 6.12. This slump has contributed to Arizona losing four of their last five games when he has pitched.
Is it time for the Diamondbacks to move Cecconi back out of their starting rotation?
