Gabriel Moreno got scratched from the Diamondbacks’ starting lineup for their absolute do-or-die, must-win Game 162 against the Padres tonight, and man, talk about a gut punch when everything is on the line for your season. This isn’t just another game, it’s the season finale, and losing a key player at the eleventh hour could change everything for the D-backs.
The Moreno Bombshell Just Landed
Seriously, this is a killer. Moreno was slated to be the designated hitter, a key bat in a game where every single run is going to feel like pure gold. But that left hamstring, which had already been barking at him earlier in this series, just completely worsened yesterday, Saturday, September 26. It’s a brutal break for the D-backs right when they needed him most in this crucial showdown. You should have seen the reports coming from the clubhouse: Moreno wasn’t moving well at all before the game. He wasn’t even confident about playing when he spoke to reporters the night before this crucial Game 162. When a player knows it’s bad, you know it’s *really* bad. This isn’t just a minor tweak, it’s a significant setback for a team playing for their season, and you have to wonder how they replace that kind of offensive presence on the fly in a game like this.
Lovullo’s All-Out Gamble on the Mound
You know things are getting wild in the dugout when a manager starts talking like this. D-backs skipper Torey Lovullo just laid it all out: “Everybody’s available,” he said, flat out declaring that *nobody* in his bullpen is off-limits for Game 162. But wait, it gets even more intense! He’s even got a couple of starting pitchers, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and right-hander Merrill Kelly, ready to be options in relief. Starters in relief for a must-win Game 162? That’s the kind of move that screams “backs against the wall, we’re emptying the tank.” Lovullo even admitted, “To what level, I’m not sure. We’re going to find that out right now, whether they can get one out or go one inning.” That quote tells you everything you need to know about the desperation and intensity heading into this final regular season showdown. It’s a high-stakes poker game, and Lovullo is going all-in, hoping his pitching staff can piece together enough outs to keep their season alive.
So, with Gabriel Moreno sidelined by a nagging hamstring and Torey Lovullo pulling out all the stops with his pitching staff, the Diamondbacks are facing an uphill battle in this absolute do-or-die Game 162 against the Padres. Every single pitch, every single at-bat, will determine their fate. (Oh, and by the way, the Phillies had their game time changed too, which is a reminder that other teams are battling it out elsewhere, but for the D-backs, it’s *all* about San Diego right now.) You gotta believe Lovullo’s squad will fight, but without Moreno’s bat and with a pitching plan that feels like it’s held together with duct tape and prayer, they’ve definitely got their work cut out for them. This is what late-season baseball is all about, and we’ll be glued to the screen to see if they can pull off the miracle they so desperately need.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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