February 17: The Graveman signing is now official, with righty Seth Martinez designated for assignment as the corresponding move.
February 14: The Diamondbacks are reportedly in agreement with veteran reliever Kendall Graveman on a one-year, $1.35MM deal. The signing is still pending a physical. Graveman, a client of Sports One Athlete Management, will earn $1.25MM this season and has a $100K buyout on a $5MM mutual option for the 2026 season. The deal includes another $1.95MM in performance bonuses. Arizona will need to create a 40-man roster spot when the deal is finalized.
Graveman, 34, missed the 2024 season while recovering from shoulder surgery but had a strong run between the Mariners, Astros and White Sox across the three prior seasons. The former starter moved to a relief role late in the 2020 season after returning from Tommy John surgery and found fast success in a high-leverage role. From 2021-23, Graveman pitched 187 1/3 innings with a 2.74 ERA, 51 holds, 24 saves, a 24.5% strikeout rate and a 10.4% walk rate.
Though last season was lost to shoulder troubles, Graveman was cleared to begin throwing late last summer. He progressed through a normal offseason throwing and conditioning program and is ready for spring training.
When he’s been healthy, Graveman has relied upon a power sinker sitting north of 96 mph, pairing that offering with an upper-80s slider and a lesser-used changeup that sits 89-90 mph. That heavy sinker has allowed him to consistently post ground-ball rates comfortably north of 50%. The right-hander lost a bit of life on all those pitches in 2023 and saw his command erode considerably in the season’s second half, following a trade from the White Sox back to the Astros.
It’s possible shoulder issues contributed to both those red flags, of course. It’ll be telling how he looks early in camp and early in the season. If Graveman is back to 96-98 mph with his sinker and can get his walk rate back down to the 9% range — it was at 12.4% in 2023 — he’ll be a formidable piece in what should be a strong Diamondbacks bullpen.
D-backs general manager Mike Hazen has been open about his desire to add a closer this offseason. While Graveman may not be handed the role out of the gate, he adds a talented and experienced option for manager Torey Lovullo to consider. If he can get back to 2021-23 form, it’s easy to see Graveman factoring into the ninth inning. Prior to this agreement, the Snakes appeared likely to lean on some combination of A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel in save opportunities.
The addition of Graveman pushes the Diamondbacks’ payroll a bit north of $195MM, per RosterResource. That’s a franchise-record mark by a wide margin, shattering the previous highwater mark of $163MM, set just last year. Prior to the 2024 season, the D-backs had never opened the season higher than $132MM. They’ve been heavily involved in both the trade and free agent markets in each of the past two offseasons, however, with no bigger strike coming than the club-record $210MM investment in newly signed ace Corbin Burnes.
Since Graveman only bumps the payroll by $600K over a league-minimum player, it’s at least feasible that the D-backs could remain engaged in the market for additional bullpen help. David Robertson and Kyle Finnegan both remain unsigned and have ample closing experience. Craig Kimbrel and Hector Neris are both still out there as well and looking to rebound from shaky 2024 campaigns, while Daniel Bard is an even more extreme rebound candidate as he looks to rebound from flexor tendon surgery that cost him all of the 2024 campaign with his 40th birthday looming in June. The trade market presents additional possibilities, of course, but Hazen said just yesterday that any forthcoming bullpen acquisitions would likely be made via free agency.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported the D-Backs and Graveman had a one-year deal. MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert was first with the $1.35MM guarantee. Rogers reported the maximum $3.3MM value after incentives, while Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported the mutual option/buyout.
Grave rave!
Baseball Reference shows 24 saves during 2021 through 2023.
Yeah the 15 was his blown saves.
If he can come back to form it’s a good pickup.
Probably won’t cost much either so it’s a nice pickup on that front as well.
@acoss. He’s costs a roster spot, but he’s not a bad gamble.
Interesting gamble.
In for a penny…
I suppose once they finally embraced going over the tax line they figured they may as well go all-in. Graveman may or may not be done, but if he can give them a good half year before he blows up that’ll move them that much closer to another trip to the bright lights. Everything is worth a try once you stop worrying about money and push that last $1.3m into the center.
Arizona is nowhere near the first tax line of $241M.
The tax threshold is like 241. I believe they’re at 195 with this. Even if I’m slightly off, they have more than enough room for another superstar if they wanted.
No grave danger of going over threshold
The Graveman laid low last year but the snakes are undertaking this move anyway. I hope he has some life left in his fastball. Ahahahaha!
I heard he can really bury his slider
DBacks fans should really dig this signing.
Not a bad signing, no big gamble. He is not a closer though he only averages about 4 saves a year. Could be a mid-inning addition,
Nice low risk signing. Kind of forgot about him.
Only $1.35M!? Steal!
It’s because he’s often hurt and when he gets hurt, he does it big and misses entire seasons.
Sneaky good pick up.
I like how SD and AZ are stacking up their rosters. Not sure if either will seriously contend for first in that division, but kudos for not just rolling over and trying to stay around .500. I’d love to see a close race in the NLW all season.
I think Corbin Carroll makes the Bobby Witt jump this season. The Diamondbacks are going to be a very tough out in the playoffs.
Definitely possible. He was #1 in alotta fantasy drafts last year because he basically had a Witt type 23. He may have had a sophomore slump and will be on his way to a productive career if he adjusts to the adjustments teams made last year.
The reason for the low amount is he was.not throwing 96 when last seen before surgery. Its unknown whether he will get that back fully, and be as effective. In this years market, nothing goes this cheap without some red flags.
Hazen is the guy who finds great name brands in Marshall’s. Hes amazing at these cheap pick ups.
Potentially very solid pickup. And not a lot of risk at that cost
If Jameson and Graveman shake off last years injuries and pitch to their potential, the Dbacks BP will be the equal of their outstanding starting seven of Burnes, Gallen & co. A big “if” of course, but possible.
Whata good is that yes there is alot of risks but some will pan out and they are all cheap. Between Drey, Jarvis and Graveman those are solid 6th and 7th inning arms. Combining with AJ and Justin can be deadly.
The way it’s going, Dbacks will probably be taking one of the Wild Card spots. This is a very good team ready for another playoff run!
@acoss. The nl west is hard to predict. Padres, giants, d backs all have recent success and haven’t really taken many steps back, but arizona’s rotation looks good( Montgomery as the fifth). Graveman was a good bullpen arm with Tommy john setbacks but he’s in the timeline for a bounce back. With adding burnes I think the dbacks did enough for second place.
@Rex
Snakes & Padres I’d agree with. Giants? I don’t see that.
@bivouac. Giants had the record in wins with Webb, and crap everything wouldn’t count them out. Dbacks look the best on paper. Just saying who the heck knows. I can only guarantee the rockies will be last place
no one knows. that’s for sure.
No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church
door; but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow,
and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered,
I warrant, for this world. A plague o’ both your houses!
Are you predicting they will make worms’ meat out of everyone but perhaps the Dodgers?!?!
🙂 Make of it what you will. I know better than to poke sleeping snakes, or tigers for that matter. It’s tough enough to win without riling up the opponents.
34 year old coming off a significant injury. Surprised he landed a ML deal. The price is cheap so his velocity must be down. This doesn’t move the needle as far as the need for a closer, snakes still don’t have a closer and are in the same position they were in yesterday re: their greatest need. If the stars align Graveman might provide medium leverage pen depth, not bad for 1.3M but the need still remains.
$1.3MM on a rebound candidate is super cheap, and even if he hits all his escalators it’s still a steal.
I agree that we’re still no closer to having a Closer, but Justin Martinez is still young enough that he can take that leap and Drey Jameson is back to throwing off a mound.
Either one of them could still step up, or we can wait to see who’s pitching well by the trade deadline. It’s kind of hard to see any other holes on the roster aside from the back of the BP.
@highheat. The 5 million dollar option with a 100k buyout isn’t a bad gamble either. He’s coming back from Tommy john and was starting to cement himself as one of the best relievers before he got hurt. If he isn’t the same you can cut ties very quickly.
Highheat
What are your thoughts about the INF Utility spot for the Dbacks? Looks like Kessinger is going to replace Newman in that role. Why not Lawler?
@scott
Lawlar has missed a ton of development time due to injuries, so I’m sure the FO would rather him hold down SS (or 3B) everyday in AAA.
There’s no guarantee that he would out produce Gerry or Geno if they handed him an MLB spot, and him riding the pine would do nobody any good.
Kessinger is probably the best IF BU option based on glove alone, but I wouldn’t completely write off Alexander yet (or Tawa for that matter). All three of those guys have options, so I doubt that one of them holds down the bench spot for the entire season. We’ll probably see the team try to play the hot hand with them.
I don’t think Lawlar gets a call-up until full-time PAs open up; that being said, he’s likely the first person called up if Ketel, Gerry, or Geno gets injured (and fwiw, Suarez is a FA after this season; so there is a chance to move him to save some money and free up play time at 3B)
That’s my current interpretation, but I could be completely off-base lol; I hope that makes sense at least
The dBags got Graveman? THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!
If Graveman blows another save, can the Diamondbacks file a gravaman?
“Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous heart!”
‘Tis gravamen.
Richie Hebner says hello.
Please D’backs . . . don’t think about Kimbrel. I can’t watch a 6.00 ERA and night after night of blown saves.
I believe the DBacks have some interesting options at the back end of their bullpen going into Spring Training. With Justin Martinez, Graveman, Ginkel, Puk, Jameson coming back, and a few starters that may need other roles or homes, it’s a pretty good group of pitchers going into the season to fill a bullpen with.
I know the DBacks don’t have the best BP in MLB, but between: Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Joe Mantiply, Drey Jameson, Kendall Graveman, Seth Martinez, Bryce Jarvis, and any MLB SP they may decide would be worth conversion, they should be able to hold out long enough to trade for a CLOSER.
We should still see Kyle Nelson and Andrew Saalfrank return at some point, and Kyle Amendt, Kyle Backhus, and Listher Sosa are all interesting RP depth that don’t occupy 40-man spots. Like I said, it’s not the most special group, but I remember a time when we didn’t have anybody in the BP with any level of stuff.
highheat
Agree this isn’t the strongest BP, but stronger than last year for certain! Statistically, if both the starters and the relievers improve from last year’s nearly dead last showing up to middle of the league numbers, the team should be much improved. And if, as you say, they get a legitimate Closer at some point they will be the favorite for the #1 Wild Card slot.