It is “moving month,” as Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo likes to say.
Essentially, it means the kid gloves come off in August as playoff-hopeful teams jockey for position in the standings. For the Diamondbacks, no feelings can be spared as the team prepares for a vital stretch of games, which started Monday with a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the teams in front of the Diamondbacks in the wild-card race.
It is do-or-die time for the Diamondbacks, who entered play Monday just 2 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot.
The urgency was likely a factor in the team finally reaching a boiling point with right-hander Zack Godley, who was designated for assignment prior to Monday’s game.