Brandon Pfaadt...The Ace?

Good morning Dbacks fans!

It's almost May and of course, like many predicted, the Dbacks just got a win off of ace Corbin Bur...wait, hold up... is that The Pfaadt Father himself, Brandon Pfaadt?

Yes!!! And let’s put some respect on the name. This is Ace Brandon Pfaadt, as he frickin' shoved yet again to lead his team with a 4th win while lowering his ERA to 2.73. Not a big deal, but... the lowest of the starting rotation.

Now Dbacks fans, this is in no way a negative slant on anyone here. It’s just some honest reporting. I love all my Dbacks. Still though, at the beginning of the season with Zac Gallen, Corbin Burnes, Merrill Kelly, and Eduardo Rodriguez at the front of the rotation, we had high expectations. They haven’t found their strides yet completely, with some ummm well... just up and down performances, to say the least.

Meanwhile, we’ve got Pfaadt over here with his 4 wins, which is just one less than the other four combined. I'm not here to bash them one bit, in fact I believe in the boys moving forward. Brandon, though, is the focus today and very much deserves his flowers. His ability to control games early in the season has been electric for the Dbacks, by far his best stretch at the big league level yet.

To those in the organization, this most likely comes as no surprise, as he’s shown flashes of this....most remembered, of course, in the 2023 NLCS as he took the mound as a rookie in what was arguably the most important game of the postseason, stopping the Dbacks from going down 3–0 to the Phillies as he diced up that big, hitter-heavy lineup.

Coming out of D2 Bellarmine University as a 5th-round pick, Pfaadt was not the top prospect on many draft boards (he pitched lights out in 2020, but his season was cut short due to COVID). But the Dbacks knew he had the stuff. Then proceeded to back them up as he bolted through the minor league system to the majors in 2023.

In 2025 now, it was his first spring where it was his job to lose instead of battling to win. This may have allowed him to work a bit more on refining his repertoire of pitches. Pfaadt is the “number 5” starter, but in most rotations around the league, he could be the 2/3 guy right now with even more potential. He’s a luxury to have at the 5 spot, as teams have to maneuver through Gallen, Burnes, Kelly, and Rodriguez, only to then go up against the gnarly sweeper, sinker, fastball combo he possesses.

The expectation isn’t for him to continue this 2.73 ERA clip, but him holding it under 4 would allow the Dbacks to have what could be one of...if not the most daunting rotations in the league.

Pfaadt is just another added to the long list of fan favorites this team has: Carroll to Gallen, Thomas to Martinez, Jameson to Pfaadt. As a lifelong Dbacks follower, I can’t remember a time there have been so many players on one squad that fans collectively are behind fully.

The Dbacks need that extra boost from the fans too, as this thing will not be easy as the season continues on.

This is all so major considering we are in the division from hell... as we sit in 4th place with a 14–9 record early on. This is going to be a season in which every game will define our playoff chances. No giveaways are going to be allowed.

With Brandon pitching like this, it may be the competitive advantage we just need. This pitching staff as a whole...between these starters and a bullpen full of flamethrowers (when healthy) has some of the best stuff in baseball.

Bet of the Day

04-23

Payton Pritchard 18+ points +330