SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- If D-backs starter Mike Leake’s left wrist fracture doesn’t heal in time for the start of the regular season, it could certainly help Merrill Kelly’s chances of nabbing a spot in the starting rotation.
For his part, though, Kelly is trying to keep his focus on what he can control, and that’s his performance on the mound.
“I’m just focusing on pitching the best I possibly can,” said Kelly, who allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings against the Giants on Monday. “When they give me the ball, just get people out. If I were to go back and forth on who’s doing what or who’s going to be in what spot, that’s way too much outside of just executing pitches to worry about. I feel like when you start worrying about all that stuff, you take away your focus on what you’re trying to accomplish and at the end of the day, that’s just getting people out.”
Assuming that Zac Gallen is in the rotation, it would seem it’s pretty well set with Madison Bumgarner, Robbie Ray, Luke Weaver and Leake.
Leake, though, could end up being delayed by the wrist fracture which has prevented him from getting into game action.
Magnet still there
D-backs outfielder Tim Locastro’s ability to get hit by pitches is well established. Locastro was hit by 163 pitches over parts of seven Minor League seasons and last year, he was hit 22 times in 250 plate appearances for the D-backs.
When he recorded his 18th plunking of the season in his 200th plate appearance last Aug. 29, he became the first Major Leaguer since data started being tracked in 1906 to record 18-plus hit by pitches in his first 200 plate appearances of a season.
So last Tuesday against the Dodgers when a pitch sailed behind him without hitting him, he wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“I thought, ‘Oh man the [ball] magnet is gone,’” Locastro said.
That didn’t last long, though, as he was hit by the very next pitch.
“I was like, ‘Cool, it’s still there,’” he said.
Nervous moment
David Peralta’s surgically repaired right shoulder got a test Monday when he dove for a ball in left field.
When he started his dive, Peralta had a moment of panic where he worried about landing on the shoulder.
“That’s a good test for me,” he said. “Now I’m going to be more confident I can make those plays. When I dove, I kind of got scared and I leaned on my elbow.”
Peralta did not feel any discomfort in the shoulder on the dive.
Up next
The D-backs play their first night game of the spring Tuesday when they travel to Surprise to face the Royals at 6:05 p.m. MST, live on MLB.TV. Luke Weaver will get the start, while Stefan Crichton, Héctor Rondón, Kevin Ginkel, Keury Mella and Matt Grace are also scheduled to pitch for the D-backs.