The Diamondbacks are removing right-hander Zack Godley from the rotation and placing him in the bullpen, manager Torey Lovullo said in an appearance on the Burns & Gambo show on 98.7 FM Arizona Sports. A replacement for Godley in the rotation has yet to be decided upon.
It’s been an awful start to the season for the 29-year-old Godley, who has seen his walk rate increase as his strikeout rate and velocity have decreased over the past couple of seasons. Through six starts (29 2/3 innings), he’s limped to a 7.58 with 25 strikeouts against 18 walks, two hit batters and three wild pitches.
Control has obviously been a significant struggle for Godley, but his ground-ball rate is also down a whopping 14 percent from his career year in 2017. He’s also seen his average fastball dwindle from 91.9 mph in ’17 to 89.9 mph this year, and his swinging-strike and opponents’ chase rates rates have each dipped at least three percent. Sending Godley to the minors to try to get back on track wasn’t on the table, as the righty is out of minor league option and would’ve needed to pass through outright waivers in order to be sent down.
As far as in-house options, top prospect Jon Duplantier is the most appealing potential replacement for Godley, but as 98.7’s Kevin Zimmerman notes, Duplantier was just optioned to Triple-A on Sunday and would need to remain in the minors for 10 days before he could be recalled (unless he came up as an injury replacement). Well-regarded prospect Taylor Widener is off to a dismal start in Reno this season, and that’s largely true of the team’s entire collection of starters in Triple-A. Righty Emilio Vargas has thrown well for Double-A to open the season and is already on the 40-man roster, but his experience above A-ball is limited.
The struggles for Godley could scarcely come at a worse time. The late-blooming righty fell just weeks shy of arbitration eligibility this past offseason and came into the season with two years, 112 days of MLB service. A solid — or even passable — season in the rotation would’ve set him up for his first seven-figure salary in pro ball. While it’s certainly possible that he’ll return to form and move back into the rotation by season’s end, the ugly start and a move to what figures to be a low-leverage relief role won’t do his earning power any favors — assuming he sticks on the roster and ultimately qualifies for arbitration.
He was very promising in 2017.. Shame he couldn’t duplicate his 2017 campaign… Seems like he just couldn’t make the right adjustments
That last name is godly…
I think you meant
GOD-ly…..
Since I can’t comment on the Russell post:
Who writes like this??? “David Bote and Ben Zobrist, too, have chipped in..”
Too? If you said that aloud, your English skills would be questioned. Just say Bote and Zobrist have also chipped in. Sheesh.
blah blah blah
That’s perfectly normal English. Quit nitpicking
klarmore, go kiss a claymore
Well why don’t you try writing for a living instead of simply being a critic? Seeing as you seem to be the expert. As a journalist myself, I can attest to the fact that sometimes timeliness of article releases can be more important than making sure every single sentence is as pristine as possible. Sometimes as long you get the facts right, a little clumsiness is perfectly acceptable. Stick to your own field, bud.
who gives a damn man. just leave it be.
After watching Duplantier in that 15 inning game the other day, I’m voting for him. Even if we have to string together a bullpen game in the meantime to buy time.
Has anyone seen improvement in any picher on this staff, except Grrinke, in the 3 yrs since Butcher was hired? Has Ray improved? No. Godley? No. Bradley? No. In the case of Ray and Godley, their mechanics are flawed, falling off the mound like they do elevates the pitch, you lose velo, and you can’t locate. Sound familiar? Can’t anyone teach Archie a changeup or curve? The common denominator is Butcher. How long before Weaver and Duplantier go south. Greinke is the only guy that has maintained, and he doesn’t listen to anybody. Maybe that’s the answer.
A big of progressing as a pitcher is taking information (like Greinke), but also being your own best coach (like Greinke). These players need to be more accountable for their success. Information is at their fingertips, if they want to improve they need to take their own initiative. Coaches are guides, not saviours.
no love for Taylor Clarke as a rotation option Steve?
Clarke seems to be the right move. The only problem is that with our inexplicable love for 4 catchers on the roster, although one is playing outfield, and McFarlane coming back of the IL, some relievers have to get bumped (Lopez?).
Lopez isn’t going anywhere
If a reliever has to be bumped because we need to carry 4 catchers, then those with options are high on the list to get a ticket to Reno
Really don’t even need three.
Clarke is the replacement. Who wires these articles?