The Diamondbacks opened a meaningful September series against the Phillies with a pitching edge they hope can keep the month alive. If the rotation holds, Brandon Pfaadt and Eduardo Rodriguez are lined up for the first two games, while Philadelphia is expected to go with Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo and Andrew Painter.
That matters because the Phillies arrived hot, with a four-game winning streak after winning nine in a row a couple of games earlier. In a September race, that kind of form changes the shape of a series fast. Arizona has not yet announced its starters, but the expected matchup already points to a chance to control the first two nights if its plans stay intact.
Rodriguez is the center of that calculation. The left-hander has been described as having a Cy Young caliber season, and he is widely viewed as Arizona’s best starter right now. That gives the Diamondbacks a tone-setter in a series where every inning matters and where one strong outing can change how the rest of the week feels.
The numbers also sharpen the picture. Nola carries a 5.03 ERA and Painter a 5.95 ERA, while the Diamondbacks’ side is built around two pitchers who give them what looks like a clear edge. That does not make the games automatic, but it explains why Arizona sees a path here even against a club that has been beating almost everyone lately.
There is still a complication inside the bigger picture. The Diamondbacks may be getting back a perennial MVP candidate, but the same player is also being viewed through a much harsher lens as a possible clubhouse problem. That split opinion hangs over the series because Arizona needs the roster to pull in one direction, not two, if September is going to stay meaningful.
For the Diamondbacks, this series may decide whether the final stretch against San Diego still carries real weight or becomes a second thought. The first official move is simple enough: name the starters, then see whether Rodriguez and Pfaadt can do what the matchup suggests and force the Phillies to cool off.
