As Calhoun HRs again, youngsters get reps

With seven games remaining and the postseason off the table for his team, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo is doing his best to balance the desire to win as many games as possible with giving the team’s less experienced players a chance to develop and show what they can do in crucial moments.

That was on display in the eighth inning Saturday night when Lovullo left four straight left-handed hitters in to face lefty Brooks Raley during the D-backs' 3-2 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

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“Look, they're some of our younger core players,” Lovullo said. “I knew that it was a tough matchup with that left-handed pitcher that was coming into the game for the Astros, but I want to give them that experience and give them a look at that and be able to evaluate them and give them that experience. I just think that's where we're at right now.”

Daulton Varsho, Josh VanMeter and Josh Rojas were the first three hitters of the eighth. While Varsho is still in his first year in the big leagues, VanMeter and Rojas got some experience last year.

The fourth batter of the inning was Kole Calhoun, and the veteran is going to hit regardless of who is on the mound, especially because he went deep to open the second inning, his sixth home run in the past five games.

While the D-backs didn’t score in the eighth, the left-handed hitters put good at-bats together, which included VanMeter drawing a seven-pitch walk.

“I thought there were some quality swings, just some misses,” Lovullo said. “I think that VanMeter had a good at-bat and ended up walking.”

Lovullo had veteran Christian Walker, one of Arizona's best hitters, available off the bench, but the team knows plenty about how Walker would handle that situation. In fact, Walker was getting the day off so that youngster Pavin Smith could get the start at first and rookie Wyatt Mathisen could get the nod at designated hitter.

“I think they're really valuable,” Rojas said of the playing time. “You’ve got young guys coming up like Pavin, Varsho and myself that are getting [experience] in big situations, trying to win ballgames every day, battling out there, facing good pitching, playing some close games. I think these games are always valuable to play in. We're also trying to help out the team win, not just showcase ourselves, but put together team at-bats and quality at-bats.”

Varsho has shown he can play the outfield and catcher, while Smith has shown he can play the corners in the outfield as well as first base. Rojas played primarily the corner-outfield spots when he got called up last year, but this year, he has played second base and shortstop.

“They're great people, and they're great players,” right-hander Luke Weaver said. “Varsho’s versatility is pretty off the charts. He goes from catching one game to center field and leading off. He’s one of those guys that can do it all. Pavin can sling it around the field with the ball, and he has versatility with the outfield and first base. You can just go down the list, guys can play multiple positions, and that’s great for the team.”

The balance of development and winning is not something that Lovullo has faced before in Arizona. In his first three years as manager, the D-backs were in the thick of the postseason race down the stretch.

This year, a tough 2-18 stretch all but knocked them from the race.

“Managing is a tough balance,” Lovullo said. “And managing a team of 28 guys is always a very, very tough balance. I felt like it was the right thing to do for those three guys, to give them that experience [in the eighth], and obviously I think they'll be better off for it.”