Jul 18, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Chase Anderson (57) throws in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks have used nine starting pitchers in their first 90 games, and it appears No. 10 will come soon.
Arizona placed right-hander Chase Anderson on the disabled list with right triceps inflammation Sunday, a day after he gave up 10 hits and seven runs in 3 2/3 innings, and will need another starter to face Milwaukee on Thursday, the seventh game in a stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
With right-hander Archie Bradley still on the disabled list and not close to returning, the D-backs likely will dip into the minor league system to fill the void. Triple-A Reno right-handers Aaron Blair and Jhoulys Chacin and Double-A right-hander A.J. Schugel appear to be the top candidates, although Reno right-hander Allen Webster could be an option. Blair, Chacin and Schugel haven’t started for the D-backs this season.
“We do have some internal candidates, but I’m not ready to divulge those yet,” Hale said.
The Diamondbacks’ lack of success can be traced to their starting pitching — they have 36 quality starts, 27th in the majors, and have a 4.73 ERA, 28th in the majors.
A quick look at some of the Thursday candidates:
–Blair, a sandwich pick in the 2013 draft, is 8-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 17 starts at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno this season. He made 11 quality starts in 13 appearances at Mobile and was one-third of an inning short of a 12th quality start before being promoted to Reno in mid-June. Blair was a member of the U.S. Pan American team that played Canada in the gold medal game Sunday night. Blair started Team USA’s 6-5 victory over Cuba in a semifinal game Saturday and did not get a decision after giving up five runs in five innings. He is not on the 40-man roster, so another move would have to be made to create room.
–Chacin was signed as a free agent after he took an opt-out clause in his deal with Cleveland in mid-June. Chacin, who had 38 victories in six injury-affected seasons with Colorado, is 2-3 with a 3.35 ERA in six starts at Reno. Like Blair, he is not on the 40-man roster.
–Schugel made one relief appearance for Arizona in April when the bullpen needed a fresh arm, but he has been used as a starter in the minor leagues this season and has been pitching well at Mobile, where he is 6-2 with a 2.24 ERA in 11 starts. After giving up five runs in his first start at Mobile on May 15, he is 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA in his last 10. Schugel is on the 40-man roster, so his promotion would require the least fuss.
Anderson, who was among the top 15 in NL ERA at 2.84 after beating the Los Angles Angels on June 17, has given up 26 earned runs in his last 25 2/3 innings over five starts, moving his ERA to 4.37. Anderson told Hale he did not feel right during a July 10 start against the New York Mets on July 10, but at the same time did not mention any physical discomfort.
“It just doesn’t seem like his fastball has that extra jump that it did that gave his changeup such success,” Hale said.
