Pfaadt struggles vs. Boston with rotation decisions looming

PHOENIX -- The D-backs returned home to face the Red Sox on Friday night fresh off a successful three-city road trip believing that despite a heartbreaking loss in the finale that they had some momentum going.

Two hours and 45 minutes later, the D-backs walked back to their clubhouse having lost, 7-2, to the Red Sox.

“That didn't work out anything like we'd hoped,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt struggled with his fastball command after an impressive first inning and the Red Sox took advantage.

Boston scored three in the second inning, thanks in part to doubles by Triston Casas and Connor Wong, and then chased Pfaadt during a two-run fourth that was keyed by Kiké Hernández’s two-run homer.

“They made Pfaadt pay for every mistake that he made,” Lovullo said. “That’s a dugout full of very experienced hitters and I think they're hunting spots, hunting mistakes and they didn't back off of it. I think there were too many misses and too many big misses out of the zone, which kind of backed him into having to throw a ball in the middle of the plate. And the Red Sox capitalized, because they're very capable of doing that.”

Lovullo was late getting to his postgame session with the media because, he said, he was having discussions with the front office.

Zach Davies is slated to be activated from the injured list to start Saturday’s game. That means someone in the rotation is going to lose their job and either wind up in the bullpen or with Triple-A Reno.

With veterans Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly established at the top of the rotation, it comes down to the three young pitchers currently in it -- Pfaadt, Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson.

“Those are discussions that we're having right now internally,” Lovullo said. “It's no mystery I was late for this press conference. Those are things that we start talking about immediately after games. This conversation lingered a little bit longer. So yeah, nothing is imminent in this area, but we talked about everything we needed to because we do know we have to make a move tomorrow.”

Regardless of whether Pfaadt stays or goes, he knows that his fastball command needs to improve.

Friday, he struggled to locate the fastball on both sides of the plate, which allowed the Red Sox to sit on his mistakes made down the middle.

“We just didn't attack both sides of the zone and they were way too comfortable and that kind of showed,” Pfaadt said.

Pfaadt is one of the D-backs’ best pitching prospects. He was their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2022, a season in which he led the Minors in strikeouts with a combined 218 between Double-A Amarillo and Reno, while walking just 33.

While Pfaadt didn’t walk anyone in his 3 2/3 innings Friday, that doesn’t mean he was locating his pitches.

“I think that my command is definitely down compared to usual,” Pfaadt said. “And obviously I don't know why that is. I think that's what we're gonna focus on and get that back and I think we'll be all right.”