Jordan Montgomery was in unfamiliar territory for a pitcher who had started 159 of the 160 major league games in which he had appeared.
Now the long reliever out of the Diamondbacks bullpen, Montgomery was called upon to get out of an already ugly fifth inning Tuesday night at Chase Field.
It wasn’t pretty to start, but Montgomery did his job and more—he pitched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings after starter Brandon Pfaadt could deliver only 4 ⅔ and saved manager Torey Lovullo from having to turn to more pitchers out of the bullpen in the first game of an important homestand for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona lost 8-3 to the New York Mets, a game the Mets needed more than the Diamondbacks, who had their six-game winning streak end. Pfaadt struggled with his fastball and sinker command. The Diamondbacks managed one hit in the first six innings of the game, and the middle infield defense was shaky.
But the Diamondbacks (75-57) still have an impressive body of work since the All-Star break.
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“This one was a little sloppy in places," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said, "and when you’re playing against a team like the Mets who are chasing the same thing we are, they’re going to take advantage of some of the extra outs, some of misguided pitches, some of the situations where we could have potentially finished off some hitters and we didn’t do that."
A six-run fifth inning, with all earned and unearned runs charged to Pfaadt, sealed the win for the Mets, who are still in contention for a National League wild-card spot.
Montgomery had only a few days ago been told he was being moved to the bullpen, where he’d only once been deployed in eight big-league seasons. It wasn’t easy for Montgomery to accept, but Lovullo said he was asking questions of relievers right after the decision was made.
“Did his job the way we want him to do his job. I’m very proud of him for making the adjustment, figuring it out,” Lovullo said. “I made sure he knew that I was appreciative of what he did.”
Lovullo even kept the door open for a return to the rotation if Montgomery can continue to be reliable.
“Went out there a little too amped up, but guess it could have gone worse,” Montgomery said.
His normal pre-start routine of around 40 minutes was cut to six minutes coming out of the bullpen.
“I got some ground balls which was good, the (velocity) was getting a little better,” Montgomery added. “Just hung a couple of curveballs to lefties for hits, but bury those and I’m pretty happy with it. Definitely settled in. Early on it felt weird but those last three, two innings, felt pretty good.”
Montgomery admitted that being in the bullpen “sucks,” but he wants to help the team any way he can.
New York starter Sean Manaea tied a season high with 11 strikeouts. Arizona finally got to him with Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, followed by Corbin Carroll’s two-run shot over the pool deck in right field.
Gurriel is up to 16 homers and Carroll 15 this season.
Pete Alonso hit his 28th home run and Brandon Nimmo contributed three hits for the Mets.
Injury updates for Marte, Walker, Moreno
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo on Tuesday offered injury updates, of sorts, for three regulars who are on the 10-day injured list.
Second baseman Ketel Marte was having an MVP-type season before going on the injured list on Aug. 19 with a sprained ankle. Marte is taking swings in the batting cage and is out of the treatment phase, Lovullo said.
There is no target date on his return, and Marte must show that he can hit with spikes on.
“He’s into a little bit of a return to play program, handling and tolerating what he can,” Lovullo said. “I know he wants to be back as bad as anybody. He wants to spend as little time on the IL as possible.”
First baseman Christian Walker (strained left oblique) took live batting practice on Tuesday and is slowly ramping up the intensity of his rehab, Lovullo said. Catcher Gabriel Moreno (strained left adductor) hit in the batting cage Tuesday.
Lovullo said Walker would play in controlled-environment games when deemed ready for them, possibly this coming weekend.
Diamondbacks' Luis Guillorme faces old friends
For the third time this season, Diamondbacks infielder Luis Guillorme faces his original team, the New York Mets. Drafted by New York in 2013, Guillorme spent five seasons in the minor leagues before being called up in 2018 and played with the Mets until 2023.
This season, he faced the Mets as a player for Atlanta, then the Los Angeles Angels and on Tuesday, the Diamondbacks.
"It's still a little weird, though, when you played for the same team for 11 years," Guillorme said. "It is what it is."
Guillorme was home in South Florida when the Diamondbacks, at the time playing the Miami Marlins, acquired him. So all he had to do was get to the stadium and suit up in a new uniform. While staying game-ready after he was released by the Angels, Guillorme said he had to get the baseballs he'd donated to a friend's youth team back from the friend so he could work out with them.
Guillorme said he's always seen the ball well at Chase Field and had good games in Phoenix.
Wednesday’s Diamondbacks-Mets pitching matchup
Mets at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.94) vs. Mets RHP Luis Severino (9-6, 3.84).
At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m.: Rodriguez is set to make just his second career start at Chase Field, after being flip-flopped in the rotation with Brandon Pfaadt, who started Tuesday's game. The Diamondbacks are 3-0 when Rodriguez starts games this season. Opponents are batting .254 against him. Severino got a win against the San Diego Padres on Aug. 22, his last start, going five innings with five hits allowed, five strikeouts and four walks. His 910 career strikeouts are fourth among active Dominican pitchers.
Related:Diamondbacks' Adrian Del Castillo shakes off bad year, blasts into big-league life
Coming up
Thursday: At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (9-6, 4.29) vs. Mets TBA.
Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (10-6, 3.65) vs. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 3.72).
Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0., 3.98) vs. Dodgers RHP Gavin Stone (11-5, 3.33)
