Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt continued his high level of play on Thursday against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with 6.1 shutout innings.
His record in eight starts this season improved to 6-2, but more importantly his comfortability on the mound has never been greater.
Pfaadt has thrown at least six innings in six of his starts and earned his third straight win (in five total tries) over the NL West-leading Dodgers. He had 23 strikeouts and allowed five earned runs in that span.
With comfort has come the desirable package of length, wins and confidence.
“We’re hitting on all the goals that we we wanted to at the beginning of the season. I think going deeper into the games is one of the most important things for me, and getting those quality starts and giving our team the best chance to win,” Pfaadt said Friday on Wolf & Luke. “So, we’re hitting those key aspects and key goals pretty well right now and I’m pleased. Hopefully we keep it rolling.”
A specific goal the 26-year-old wants to hit by season’s end?
Establish a career-best in the innings pitched category, which currently sits at 181.2 after making 32 starts in 2024.
If Pfaadt were to make the same number of starts this season, he would need to average just under six innings pitched per remaining start. At this point, FanGraphs estimated he will land in the 126.0-inning range, with 21 starts and 28 total appearances.
Regardless of his usage, Pfaadt has been and will continue to be a necessary cog in the machine that is the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitching rotation.
He has gone the deepest in games so far (46.2 innings) with three other starters having also made eight starts. Zac Gallen has thrown 45.1 innings, Merrill Kelly 44.0 and Eduardo Rodriguez 40.2, the final lagging behind due to a poor effort Friday (2.2 innings pitched, nine hits, eight runs).
Pfaadt also leads the pack in ERA at 3.28 and has only issued 10 walks (Kelly closely behind at 12).
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Ryne Nelson, who is perhaps on the verge of entering a six-man rotation, commended Pfaadt before Friday’s game, saying experience is simply catching up with the weapons he already possessed.
“I think that it’s just a matter of time for a guy like him with the stuff he has and the competitive side to him,” Nelson said. “I think that it’s all just coming together for him.”
What changed for Brandon Pfaadt after tough showing vs. Phillies?
Pfaadt was really roughed up for the first time this year in his previous start against the Philadelphia Phillies, responsible for seven runs (six earned) in his shortest outing thus far (4.2 innings).
What a difference some rest and a new opponent makes.
In front of what many felt was a playoff atmosphere at Chase Field with 40,319 raucous fans, Pfaadt silenced the Los Angeles bats when the Arizona offense took until the fourth frame to get runs on the board.
He stranded five runners, produced two 1-2-3 innings and stood his ground the third time through the Dodger lineup with Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman on the corners.
Pfaadt said he planned for the Phillies similarly five days prior, with each club’s top-heavy batting order, but Los Angeles’ more equally spread lineup gave him tunnel vision.
Plus, he added that his overall command was better.
“We knew the lineup they have, and from one through nine they’re all solid hitters. So I think that’s what makes (the Dodgers) different, and we got to attack each guy individually and and get the guys out that we need before the top lineup comes,” Pfaadt said. “I think that’s the the main difference.”
Home cooking for Pfaadt has also meant zero home runs for his opponents, as he hasn’t allowed a single bomb in his last 96 batters faced at Chase Field.
Pfaadt is scheduled to get the ball next on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants (24-15, third in NL West). In three career starts against the Golden State division rival, Pfaadt has a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings.
Diamondbacks-Dodgers Game 3
Arizona looks to break the 1-1 tie in its first season series against Los Angeles on Saturday.
After a heartbreaking 14-11 loss, Corbin Burnes (1-1, 3.58 ERA) will make his seventh start for the D-backs and face Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (1-2, 4.36 ERA), who has thrown the third-most innings for an injury-plagued club at 33.0.
Listen to Diamondbacks-Dodgers at 5:10 p.m. on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com.
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