The 2023 World Series begins on Friday with two wild-card teams facing off. Only one will be crowned the winner between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers.
While it’s a unique matchup, not many had the D-backs on the big stage for their season’s bingo card, but they’re here.
With that said, how will the roster look ahead of the series?
Lovullo said there will be discussions on Thursday.
“We’re going to discuss that right now, the front office just got here,” he said. “We’re going to talk about some of the characteristics of our lineup, what we want to do, how we want to manipulate different things and have as much leverage as possible through some of the ideas that we’re having as the game is moving along.”
Starting pitching could be the big question for the D-backs. They send Zac Gallen to the mound for Game 1 on Friday.
Zac Gallen: “where’s their pool? Where’s their pool at?” pic.twitter.com/WmqtZBGiAX
— Nick King (@NickKingSports) October 25, 2023
Luckily enough for Lovullo, his bullpen can put so much work in.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do at this point,” Lovullo said. “It really comes down to an extra pitcher or an extra position player. We didn’t quite get into that extra pitcher. So we feel like there could be a need for the extra position player.”
“The starting rotation will follow the same pattern if that’s what you’re asking about,” he added. It will follow the same pattern.”
Lovullo added after Gallen, it’ll go Merrill Kelly then Brandon Pfaadt.
” … and we’ll figure out what’s going on on day four.”
It could be worrisome for the starters, but against the Rangers’ hottest hitter Adolis García — that heat could be cooled off easily.
García was only 2-for-17 with five strikeouts against Arizona during the regular season. While he hadn’t faced Kelly, he was 0-for-7 combined against Gallen and Pfaadt.
Never know. Baseball, baby!
