Solving the D-Backs' defensive problems on Friday

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost an important game to the Padres on Friday night, putting them level with the Braves and Mets.

It's usually obvious why a team loses. When no runs were scored, the offense usually collapsed. If the pitching allows too many runs for the bats to keep up, the pitching is probably the cause of the loss, but in Friday's ball game, you wouldn't be the only one looking at the defense after a tough loss.

The Diamondbacks are known for their defense. They have one of the youngest and most athletic clubs in baseball and tend to play solid, clean defense in most cases.

This comes from an experienced infield that is very aware of the situation and an outfield that can run and catch almost any ball hit. This was not the case in the series opener against the Padres.

It all started with Ketel Marte. He is the Diamondbacks' undisputed MVP and a pillar in the infield. According to Baseball Savant, his second base defense in 2024 was very solid, achieving 7 outs above average and 6 fielding runs value.

Still, Marte made two big misplays in the first inning that led to the Padres scoring four runs.

When Marte spoke with Arizona Diamondbacks ON SI's Jack Sommers after the game, he was asked about his defensive mistakes. The first was a costly whiff of a possible double-play ball that would have ended the inning.

“It's not an easy game,” Marte said: “These types of grounders are uncomfortable, and I tried to hit it, but I couldn't.”

The play wouldn't be considered an error, but it would ultimately set the club back by a run and continue the inning. If the mistakes had stopped there it would probably have been forgotten by the end of the half, but things seemed to snowball.

“The difference was that the hit was on the glove side. He wasn't in the middle. If he was in the middle, I would play him on a bounce, but he went to the side. I couldn't get the glove out.”

With there still only one out in the inning, Geraldo Perdomo was hit with a tailor-made double play ball. He passed it to Marte for the first out, but a slight hesitation and what appeared to be a poor grip on the ball led to an errant throw over the head of first baseman Christian Walker.

“I feel like when he got the ball out of his hand that he didn't have a good grip on it,” said Lovullo, who defended Marte after the game. “I want to protect him and tell everyone how good a defender he is. That’s a tough play, and I want to make sure everyone knows that that’s a tough play and that he’s a very, very good second baseman.”

The numbers confirm Lovullo's statement. Marte has been outstanding in every aspect on the field this year. Still, poor defense cost the team significantly, and Marte wasn't the only one.

Torey Lovullo and the Diamondbacks decided to start Pavin Smith in right field on Friday, which was a solid decision. Smith has been one of the hottest hitters in the lineup over the last month and hit another massive home run in the team's win over San Francisco on Wednesday.

One thing that didn't go over so well was Smith's defense. The left-handed hitter, who often takes on the role of more of a DH or backup first baseman, is certainly no stranger to the outfield. His defense hasn't been great with -1 OAA and Fielding Run Value, but his bat allows him to step in.

Smith didn't play a big role in Friday's ball game, but his defense came into question several times as he couldn't reach several balls that landed between him and Corbin Carroll in right center field.

Fans were obviously distraught as the normal outfield lineup would have the much quicker Jake McCarthy in center field, shifting the incredibly quick Corbin Carroll to the right, likely giving the team a better chance of catching those fly balls.

Manager Torey Lovullo was asked about Smith's defense and the risk-reward ratio of using him in the outfield to get his bat in the lineup. “With Jake McCarthy and Corbin Carroll, you’re talking about two elite defenders. They run a lot of balls. Pavin is a good defender, he’s just not as athletic as the other two.”

Lovullo was looking for someone who could hit a ball and spark the offense. The move ultimately didn't pay off in this game, but the process behind it was solid, and if the move had played out well it would likely be viewed in a much different light.

The plays played out the way they did and the Diamondbacks are looking to move forward and will be back at Chase Field desperately focused on securing a Wild Card spot. They haven't won against the Mets or Braves and need to win their last two games to secure a playoff spot.

The Diamondbacks take on the Padres on Saturday at 5:10 p.m. Arizona time. A defeat would be devastating for the club as they rally behind Eduardo Rodriguez to further boost their playoff hopes. Stay tuned to everything Arizona Diamondbacks ON SI for more information.