Squad changes

The Arizona Diamondbacks have made the following roster changes. The D-backs’ 40-man roster now consists of 39 players.

• Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP Scott McGough
• Transferred to Triple-A Reno after yesterday’s game: C Adrian Del Castillo

It makes sense to bring an extra reliever rather than three catchers for a Coors series, given that you’re between the worst pitching team in baseball (that would be the Rockies) and the best offense (that’s the D-backs), as Samath noted in yesterday’s recap. I suspect yesterday’s triple coverage was simply to make sure Gabriel Moreno got through his first game action well. That apparently succeeded, the team can throw one out, and it’s interesting that the team opted to stick with Herrera rather than Del Castillo. Offensively, the latter is far superior — over a .300 point OPS — but I suspect defensive work will be in Del Castillo’s future, considering 27 of 29 base stealers were successful — and one of those that weren’t was a home steal!

Don’t worry, the Rockies may be the worst team in the National League, but they’ve always been quite a challenge at Coors, where their players have adapted well to the unique environment. At home, the Rockies actually have a better record than the Red Sox at Fenway this year, posting a baseball record of nearly .500 (34-38). So I’d be OK with the D-backs returning from Coors with two of three wins. With four games left in Milwaukee, I’d especially like to see our pitchers not worn down to the limit in those three games. At the very least, Merrill Kelly shouldn’t overheat and cramp at Coors, with the temperature forecast to start at 80 degrees Fahrenheit.