Giants vs. Diamondbacks, 5/24

It turns out the Diamondbacks have made a bunch of moves ahead of this series. Wilmer Flores has a foot fracture and David Peralta’s aggravated shoulder injury hasn’t healed, so they’re both placed on the IL and in their stead and along with the move earlier today to call up rookie mash monster Kevin Cron from Triple-A Reno, outfielder Tim Locastro was also called up.

Batting second tonight is second baseman Ildemaro Vargas, whom the Giants didn’t face last week. He’s hitting .186/.186/.288 in 59 PA this season, which means he’s having a better season than Mac Williamson, who has 53 PA and .439 OPS so far. It also means he’s due to light it up against the Giants.

Locastro has already appeared in 12 games this season (23 PA) and has a .435 OBP. He was with the Dodger last year, after having been traded to LA from the Blue Jays back in July 2015. The Dodgers traded him to the Yankees soon after Farhan Zaidi left and the Yankees traded him to the Diamondbacks in January. He also likes to steal bases. He has 170 (39 CS) in 592 career minor league games and is a perfect 7-for-7 in the 33 major league games he’s played since 2017.

A long wind up to explain why these two unfamiliar names are in the lineup tonight.

CF — Ketel Marte
2B — Ildemaro Vargas
3B — Eduardo Escobar
RF — Adam Jones
1B — Christian Walker
SS — Nick Ahmed
C — Carson Kelly
LF — Tim Locastro
SP — Robbie Ray

The Diamondbacks might be just fine with all that anonymity as Robbie Ray has bee very good for them this season. The Giants really made him work last weekend in Arizona leading him to have his worst start of the season so far (just 4 IP). Prior to that start, he’d been averaging 5.1 innings per start and sported a 3.14 ERA, along with a nearly 3:1 strikeouts to walk ratio. The Giants did strike out six times in his four innings, but also walked four times to go with three hits against Ray. Can this lineup produce similar results?

2B — Joe Panik
SS — Donovan Solano
1B — Tyler Astin
3B — Evan Longoria
RF — Kevin Pillar
CF — Steven Duggar
LF — Mac Williamson
C — Stephen Vogt
SP — Drew Pomeranz