The Diamondbacks have designated right-hander Zach Davies for assignment, the team announced. Fellow righty Justin Martinez has been recalled from Triple-A to take his place on the active roster.
Davies was a solid back-of-the-rotation starter for Arizona last year, making 27 starts with a 4.09 ERA. That hasn’t been the case this season, as he is pitching to a 7.00 ERA in 18 starts, interspersed between two separate stints on the injured list. Despite his poor performance, the D-backs have kept him around, since they have struggled to find reliable starters to pitch behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly all year. Now, however, with just five games remaining in the regular season and the playoffs right around the corner, Arizona no longer has much need for an innings eater on the roster.
This could be an indication the Diamondbacks are planning to make an addition to the 40-man roster ahead of the playoffs, or it could simply be a way of making room to add an extra relief arm for the final five games of the regular season.
Davies, who is making $4.7MM this season and has a $300K buyout for next year, is likely to go unclaimed on waivers, at which point the D-backs would be responsible for the guaranteed salary remaining on his contract. Still just 30 years old, he shouldn’t have trouble finding a new club in the offseason, although he might have to settle for a minor league deal.
Martinez, a right-handed reliever, is the team’s No. 24 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He made his MLB debut earlier this season and has pitched to a ghastly 14.63 ERA in a few brief call-ups to the big league squad. His numbers at Triple-A are much more palatable; he has a 4.20 ERA in 47 games, although his 21.2% walk rate is still alarming. It’s unlikely he’ll play much of a role while the D-backs are fighting for a postseason berth, but he’ll provide manager Torey Lovullo with an extra arm out of the ’pen.
D-Backs ghosted ya, Zach.
Beat me to it.
His mom is mad and will be in contact with the Diamondbacks front office.
*Karening intensifies*
Why didnt she just get an abortion instead? Isn’t that the sensible thing when you can’t afford them?
Like a good neighbor state farm is there
Bruh
I was screaming at my television set last night for Lovullo to get Davies out of the game before he could do any more damage to the Dback’s chances of winning that ballgame.
Davies should have been cut loose at mid-season, and I couldn’t image any scenario where the Dbacks could trust Davies enough to pitch in another game other than as a choice between Davies and a position player to finish a total blowout game.
As a Brewer fan, loved Zach Davies. Made the most of his meager size. We used to refer to him as “Captain American”, used to look like Chris Evans before the metamorphosis. Hard to believe it was 2015 he came over from Orioles on a trade for Gerardo Para. Good luck kid!
Davies has an ERA of 7.00. Obviously that’s bad, but Martinez? 14+ in the majors and a not so great 4.20 ERA in AAA. What kind of help does Lovullo think Martinez can provide? Also, who are the DBacks SP after Gallen and Kelly?
In Triple-A Martinez has 48 BB in 49.1 IP. Put on a helmet if you’re in the crowd when he pitches.
Kid throws 103MPH and is wild, might just scare the crap out of people.
Should have brought Slade Cecconi back up.
This is like “Cum on Feel the Noise” sung by Madonna.
Cecconi is not eligible to be called back up again this season unless it is as an injury replacement.
Tomorrow’s game will be a bullpen game, so they brought up another reliever.
They were fine with his first 79 1/3 innings of 6.81 ERA ball, but ultimately said “d*mmit, if the White Sox can hit him too, he gone!”
Future Rockie incoming.
Dumb move. He may not get the win but the Dbacks win games when he pitches including his last five. They’ll regret it as usual.
Lmao
The buyout is actually 500k. It increased by 200k once he reached 16 games started.
Source: apnews.com/article/arizona-diamondbacks-mlb-sports…
Why do it now? What if you have an injury and they win the wild card round? Jeff Suppan caught lightning in a bottle for the Cardinals…
If there is an injury, they can call Slade Cecconi back up.
Davies Diamondbacks tenure ends with 31 no decisions in 45 starts
69%… sweet.