The Arizona Diamondbacks’ starting pitching generally had a rough first turn through the rotation, with Zack Greinke and Zack Godley each allowing seven earned runs, and Luke Weaver not making it out of the fourth inning.
The second time through was much better.
The third time through starts Tuesday when Arizona begins a two-game home interleague series against the Texas Rangers.
Two pitchers coming off big performances — Greinke (1-1) and Texas left-hander Mike Minor (1-1) — will get the call.
“I believed in those guys, even though they had a rough first go-around,” Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo said of his starting staff. “Maybe it was some anxiety, some nervous energy coming out of spring training and wanting to do so well. I don’t know. But they’re an easy group to bet on.
“I think we have transitioned here. Typically, Arizona was a team that would smash the baseball and try to out-slug you. But we’re transitioning to a complete team with really strong starting pitching. I think that is what is going to carry us over the course of the year. So, I have been very pleased with these past five outings.”
Greinke, a veteran right-hander, got it started by doing it all in an 8-5 win at the San Diego Padres last Tuesday. He allowed three runs in six innings, striking out 10, walking none, and hitting two home runs and driving in four.
He is 3-6 with 2.82 ERA in 16 career appearances (14 starts) against the Rangers, including a loss last season when he allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Like Greinke, Minor bounced back from a bad 2019 debut — six runs in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Chicago Cubs. Minor fired seven scoreless innings against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He credited his fastball as being the biggest difference, using that to get ahead and getting 21 called strikes overall.
“He has something to prove,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said after that game.
“Coming into the season, he was named Opening Day starter. It meant a lot to him. He said he has always been looked at as a No. 4 or No. 5. To be the No. 1 meant a lot to him. … I just love that everything he has done since spring training has been done with conviction. The ball is coming out of his hand with conviction, and as the season goes along, it’s only going to get better.”
Minor is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four appearances against the Diamondbacks, including two relief appearances in 2017. He started against Arizona once each in 2012 and 2013, winning both games and allowing a combined three runs (two earned) in 14 2/3 innings.
Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus is hitting .366 through 10 games. Left fielder Joey Gallo has a team-high four home runs and 11 RBIs.
Arizona left fielder David Peralta is hitting .413 with eight doubles in 10 games. Center fielder Adam Jones has socked four homers to go with his .364 average.
The Diamondbacks and Rangers split four games last season, with each going 1-1 at home.