NL Wild Card 2017: 5 reasons Diamondbacks will win
2. Greinke’s postseason experience
After a disappointing first season with the Diamondbacks, right-hander Zack Greinke rebounded and turned in another All-Star season. The $206.5-million man won 17 games and posted a 3.20 ERA with his best strikeout rate since 2011. Greinke will start the Wild Card Game, his fifth trip to the postseason.
Greinke started against the Rockies five times this year, and went 2-1 with a 3.41 ERA. For many pitchers, matching up against an opponent for a sixth time would be a major disadvantage, but not for Greinke. He is a master of manipulating his arsenal to keep a team off balance, and the Rockies will not be able to lock into a pattern in the batter’s box.
The Diamondbacks are electing to trust Greinke in the most important game of the year, and he has never disappointed in the playoffs in his MLB career. Minus his first trip to the postseason in 2011, Greinke has a 2.38 ERA in his past five starts in October. Manager Torey Lovullo can rest assured that the moment will not be too much for Greinke when he takes the ball on Wednesday night.
Arizona could not have gone wrong choosing between Greinke and Robbie Ray. Although Greinke had a bumpier second half, his playoff experience makes him the best choice to start the pressure cooker that is the Wild Card Game.