D-Backs Slammed by Fans for Pitching in 2023 MLB World Series Game 4 Loss to Rangers
On Monday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks seemingly forgot how to hit. On Tuesday, it was the pitching staff that lost the plot.
The Texas Rangers hammered the D-Backs in Game 4 of the World Series, 11-7, taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
The Diamondbacks came into the game with the intention of letting their bullpen handle the entire night, much as they did in a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLCS.
But the Rangers took a jackhammer to that plan. Four different Arizona relievers gave up a run or more, while Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Jonah Heim each homered on the night and Semien finished with five RBI:
And more than a few MLB fans and pundits alike were happy to see the Diamondbacks get punished for utilizing a bullpen game in the World Series, alongside questioning some other pitching decisions along the way:
It should be noted that the Rangers also have been incredible on the road in October, winning 10 straight games away from home this postseason. And they continue to absolutely rake, with their sixth postseason game scoring seven or more runs.
But from Arizona's perspective, losing two straight games at home—one in which their offense only mustered one run, and the other in which the planned bullpen game backfired immensely—is nothing short of disastrous.
Yes, the Diamondbacks will now have their three starters the've utilized throughout the postseason—Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt—available for the next three games, depending on how long this series goes.
The Rangers will be without starting pitcher Max Scherzer and Adolis García for the rest of the World Series, a huge blow for them.
And the D-Backs deserve some credit for not folding, putting up seven runs in total after facing an early 10-0 deficit, which forced the Rangers to utilize a fair amount of relievers. Momentum's validity is murky at best, but if there's any truth to its power, Arizona's offensive revival may have at least swung some back in their favor.
Still, this was a chance for the Diamondbacks to even the series and press the pitching advantage they would have had going forward.
Instead, the Rangers—needing just one more win in this series—may never have to solve the Game 7 pitching conundrum that Scherzer's injury left them. The Diamondbacks, left with zero margin for error, are now just hoping to get this series back to Texas.
So no, it wasn't a good night in the desert. Make that two in a row.
