The Arizona Diamondbacks are trying to keep in contention in the NL West.
If Giancarlo Stanton hadn't spent a month on the disabled list, the Miami Marlins might be in better position than they are now in the East.
The Diamondbacks will try to bounce back Tuesday night following an ugly loss to Stanton and the Marlins.
Arizona returned home after completing a 4-2 road trip with a weekend sweep of Houston. However, the Diamondbacks (62-60) lost 12-3 on Monday to fall five games off the pace in both the division and wild-card races.
Stanton homered twice and drove in four runs for Miami (56-67), which has won four of six.
Stanton, who also homered in three consecutive games at Colorado over the weekend, is batting .313 with seven homers, four doubles and 15 RBIs in 13 games since returning from the disabled list following surgery to remove loose bodies from his right knee. His 26 home runs on the season rank third in the NL.
"This guy is so good, so talented," Miami manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He has missed half a year and he still has 20-something home runs. That is how talented he is."
While Stanton's return has been beneficial to Miami, Stephen Drew's return did little to impact Arizona, which dealt its shortstop Monday to Oakland for minor league infielder Sean Jamieson.
After being sidelined nearly a year with a fractured right ankle, Drew returned in late June but batted .193 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 40 games.
"It was more than likely he would have tested free agency so we probably would have only had his services for another six weeks," general manager Kevin Towers said.
After parting with Drew, the Diamondbacks will focus their attention to reversing their recent struggles at home. They have lost six of their last nine at Chase Field after allowing 20 hits Monday to open a 10-game homestand.
Arizona starter Trevor Cahill (9-10, 3.75 ERA) will also be trying to reverse his own struggles at home, where he owns a 4.97 ERA and has dropped his last two starts.
The right-hander was solid on the road Thursday despite not getting a decision, giving up one run and five hits in six innings of the Diamondbacks' eventual 2-1 victory over St. Louis.
Cahill faced the Marlins last year while with Oakland and allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-4 loss.
Ricky Nolasco (9-12, 4.94) will try to take advantage of Miami's recent success at the plate as he looks to end a four-start road losing streak.
Nolasco, who is 1-6 with a 6.42 ERA in his last seven starts overall, gave up five runs and nine hits in eight innings of a 5-3 loss to Colorado on Thursday.
The right-hander is 5-2 with a 4.14 ERA in seven career starts against the Diamondbacks.
