This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat newsletter. Jesús Cano wrote this edition of the newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHOENIX -- This past weekend’s series against the Reds provided a glimpse of how competitive the D-backs are when Brandon Pfaadt, Zach Davies and Slade Cecconi are executing.

Outside of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, the D-backs' other three rotation spots have lacked consistency. D-backs manager Torey Lovullo made it clear what is required out of the rookie duo of Pfaadt and Cecconi.

"They're both up-and-coming pitchers for us," Lovullo said. "They're understudies right now for Zac and Merrill. They're applying all their concepts and helping us win baseball games. To me, that's the reason we are where we are."

But even Gallen and Kelly don't always have their best stuff. They combined for 13 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings in their most recent starts, increasing the significance of Pfaadt and Cecconi's promising outings.

“The group that comes up has to come up here and perform, they’re not Sunday helpers," Lovullo said. "They got to come up here and execute to help us win baseball games right now.” 

Pfaadt celebrated his first career win, striking out five over 5 1/3 innings. The former D-backs top pitching prospect carried a lot of hype when he made his Major League debut on May 3 against the Rangers, but had an 8.37 ERA by the end of the month and was sent back to Triple-A Reno.

Pitching coach Brent Strom said Pfaadt adjusted his positioning near the first-base side of the rubber so it complements well with his lower arm slot delivery. It's working out, as the 24-year-old has a 3.48 ERA since being recalled on July 22, which has given Pfaadt more confidence on the mound.

“As a professional player, I think you always got to have that confidence, or else you're kind of down in the dumps,” Pfaadt said. “That's kind of how I was raised and that's how I try to live life. So always give confidence no matter what and keep rolling.”

Cecconi has been consistent since debuting in San Francisco on Aug. 2. He’s appeared in five games, and started three of them. He held the Reds to one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings on Sunday, his deepest outing of the season, earning the trust of Lovullo that he is ready to pitch deep into games and help this team play in October.

“I've thought about moments like these my whole life,” Cecconi, 24, said. “I’ve just been waiting for a chance to do my thing on the biggest stage. 

“Everybody saw what happened in July … and nobody lost hope, nobody thought that we were out of it. Everybody was just showing up to the yard every day. Getting their work and sticking to the process.”

Davies has had two stints on the IL this season, most recently with lower back inflammation. He returned to the rotation last Saturday and held the Reds to one run over five innings.

The right-hander has the most Major League experience in the rotation, which includes pitching in the playoffs with the Padres -- although it came in the lonely 2020 season. His veteran status is why the D-backs decided to re-sign Davies, who had a 4.09 ERA in 27 starts in '22, to a one-year deal over the offseason.

After working on his mechanics during his rehab assignments in Triple-A Reno, Davies is determined to help D-backs get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“It’s fun baseball,” Davies said. “I've been on teams that were losing down the stretch and I've been on teams that are winning down the stretch. So, when you're playing meaningful September baseball, it's always fun. Each game is more emotional and a little bit more intense, and that's how you want it.”