D-Backs like their chances despite Machado’s trade to Dodgers.
Having lived through one of the better performances of a trade deadline rental in recent history in slugger J.D. Martinez last year, the Diamondbacks couldn’t entirely downplay the Los Angeles Dodgers’ acquisition this week of infielder Manny Machado.
But they weren’t about to hand over the division to the Dodgers without playing out the final 21⁄ months.
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“Obviously, it’s going to make them better,” Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley said. “He’s a Top 5 player in this game, probably. But at the end of the day, you have to lay it out there on the line, you got to go and compete and go play, and that’s the reason we’re separated by a half game right now. And this whole division is separated by just a few games.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we do something here in the next few days. If we don’t, we have the guys in here and we’re going to go to work and see what we can do.”
The Diamondbacks certainly weren’t about to call themselves “demoralized,” the word Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling used when trying to imagine how their rivals might feel.
“I think it would be pretty demoralizing,” Stripling told the Los Angeles
Times. “Something they would see and say, ‘ Oh crap, that’s not going to be any fun.’ You’ve got to deal with (Clayton) Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Kenta (Maeda) on the mound, and now you’ve got to deal with Justin Turner, Matt Kemp, Max Muncy, Machado, etc.
“That’s almost a superteam, I feel like, on paper.”
Asked about that comment, Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. responded with sarcasm, saying, “Yeah, I feel like I should just go home now. … No, he’s a good ballplayer, but we have a really good ballclub.”
Said lefty Robbie Ray: “Just another guy’s name on the lineup card. It’s just another scouting report you have to do. It’s not anything special. It’s not like it’s Babe Ruth.”
Based on how active General Manager Mike Hazen was at last year’s trade deadline, the Diamondbacks seem to be expecting additions at some prior to July 31 non-waiver deadline. That said, they feel they have enough underperformers on their roster that any holes on the roster could be filled internally.
“I know there’s guys in here, including myself, we just haven’t played the way we’re capable of,” Souza said. “I think as soon as we do that, we’re a really good ballclub, no matter who we add. Our bullpen has been really great, our starting pitching has been great. Yeah, we’ve had an up-and-down year, but I still feel like we’re the team to beat in the division.”
Short hops
❚ Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the surgeon who performed Shelby Miller’s elbow procedure last year, reviewed Miller’s most recent MRI and, manager Torey Lovullo said, agreed with the initial reading by team physician Dr. Gary Waslewski, finding no damage to Miller’s elbow ligament. “There was some minor inflammation in there,” Lovullo said. “He’s going to continue to be shut down and be treated for the next 10-14 days before there’s any baseball activity that’s even considered.”
❚ Right-hander Clay Buchholz was scheduled to throw between 75-80 pitches in a rehab assignment with High-A Visalia on Thursday, Lovullo said. Buchholz is expected to step into the rotation on Tuesday in Chicago, taking right-hander Miller’s vacant spot.
❚ Lovullo said he told All-Stars Paul
Goldschmidt, Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin that they could skip Thursday’s workout since they didn’t get the same break as the rest of their teammates. Greinke showed up and played catch before ducking out early, but Goldschmidt and Corbin were nowhere to be found.