By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

PHOENIX -- A national television audience on FOX will get a chance Saturday to see something D-backs fans are all-to-aware of: Doug Davis has pitched better than his record indicates.

The veteran left-hander comes into his Saturday start against John Lackey and the Angels sporting a 3-8 record, but having deserved a better fate in a number of his outings.

Case in point was his most recent start against the Mariners at Safeco Field. Davis allowed just one run over seven innings and left with the D-backs ahead, 2-1.

The bullpen, though, allowed the Mariners to tie the game in the eighth and Seattle won the game in the ninth on a dropped throw by first baseman Tony Clark.

"He certainly deserves a better record," D-backs manager A.J. Hinch said. "One of the positives of 3-8 is that it means he's been in for a lot of decisions and he's been pitching late into games. He's pitched well and he's had the type of career where he gets a lot of decisions, he pitches deep in games."

Davis' performance this year as well as that history of pitching deep into games could make him attractive on the trade market as the July 31 Trade Deadline approaches. Davis is in the final year of a three-year $22 million deal he signed after coming over in a trade from Milwaukee.

"It's in the back of my mind," Davis said earlier this month about the possibility of being dealt. "But it's not affecting anything I'm doing out on the field. If anything, I may be going out there trying to be more valuable as a trade [piece] for this team. That's the way I'm looking at it. I don't know what they are thinking right now. They haven't told me much. They haven't talked to my agent at all about any kind of next year plans or whatever."

So for now, Davis will focus on tyring to help the D-backs snap out of a slide that has seen them drop six of their last seven games.

Pitching matchup
ARI: LHP Doug Davis (3-8, 3.53 ERA)
Davis was in position for a much-deserved win in his last start against the Mariners but came up short. The left-hander allowed just one run over seven innings of work but two costly errors in the late innings proved costly. First baseman Tony Clark dropped the ball on a throw from Mark Reynolds in the ninth inning that led to the game-winning run. Davis is seeking his first win since pitching six innings against the Padres on June 5.

LAA: RHP John Lackey (2-3, 5.83 ERA)
Lackey followed a winning, seven-inning effort in San Francisco with eight innings in a home loss to the Dodgers, a team he had dominated in the past with a 5-1 record and 1.50 ERA in 54 innings. He yielded four earned runs, two on a James Loney homer, while getting nicked for nine hits and walking four. He struck out five hitters. Lackey has never faced the D-backs. He's 2-1 with a 6.10 ERA on the road this season.

Tidbits
RHP Yusmeiro Petit allowed three runs on four hits and walked three in an injury rehab start for Triple-A Reno on Thursday and does not appear close to returning to action. Hinch said he not only wants to see progress health-wise, but also in performance from guys on rehab assignments. Petit still has time left on the rehab assignment to make a few couple more starts. ... Speaking of rehabs, Chad Tracy is also on one with Reno. "He's steadily getting a number of at-bats under his belt," Hinch said. Tracy has been out with a strained oblique muscle. While his numbers in Reno have not been overly impressive, Hinch said he was told by Triple-A manager Brett Butler that Tracy has swung the bat well. ... Hinch has exchanged phone messages with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who will manage the National League All-Star team. Hinch wants to make a case for three of his players: outfielder Justin Upton, third baseman Mark Reynolds and starter Dan Haren.