- The Diamondbacks are rethinking the way manager Torey Lovullo builds out his coaching staff, writes The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan. Primarily, Lovullo is looking to better bridge the gap between the Majors and Triple-A, allowing for a more cohesive promotion process for young players. They’ll do so by hiring a number of assistant hitting and pitching coaches, some of whom will themselves split their time between the Majors and Triple-A.
Diamondbacks Rumors
Diamondbacks Outright Three Players
The offseason roster shuffle has begun in the desert. The Diamondbacks announced that they’ve outrighted reliever Brandyn Sittinger, outfielder Henry Ramos and infielder Ildemaro Vargas to Triple-A Reno. The moves leave the club with 37 players on their 40-man roster.
Sending those three down comes as no surprise, given the players’ performances so far. Sittinger joined the D-backs on a minor league deal prior to the 2020 season, and saw his first big league action last month. He tossed 4 2/3 innings over five appearances, posting an unsightly 13.03 FIP.
Arizona signed the 29-year-old Ramos to a minor league deal on May 19 of this year. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, and was called up September 5. In 18 games he accumulated 55 plate appearances but only posted a meager 48 wRC+.
The well-traveled Vargas appeared in the big leagues each of the last five seasons, mostly with the Diamondbacks. He also played briefly for the Twins and Cubs last year. In 381 total plate appearances at the MLB level, he’s put up -1.2 fWAR.
Diamondbacks To Make Coaching Staff Changes
The Diamondbacks signed manager Torey Lovullo to a one-year contract extension last month, ensuring he’d be back for a sixth season in the dugout. There’ll be a pretty significant shakeup around the skipper, though, as Zach Buchanan of the Athletic reported upon a series of coaching staff changes this afternoon.
Only three members of Lovullo’s staff will return in their current capacity: first base coach Dave McKay, third base coach Tony Perezchica and bullpen coach Mike Fetters. Bench coach Luis Urueta has been reassigned within the organization; Matt Herges is out as pitching coach but could return to the organization in some other capacity; catching coach Robby Hammock will not be brought back.
Urueta has been on Lovullo’s staff since the end of 2017, serving as bench coach for the past couple seasons. He drew some consideration in the Red Sox’s managerial search last winter but remained in Arizona after Boston re-hired Alex Cora. Herges was hired leading up to the 2020 season, his first stint as a big league pitching coach. The former big leaguer had previously served as the Giants’ bullpen coach.
The D-Backs were already expected to search for new hitting instruction after firing hitting coaches Darnell Coles and Eric Hisnke in June. Rick Short and Drew Hedman had been promoted to serve as interim co-hitting coaches, but they won’t return in that capacity. Buchanan notes, however, that Arizona is considering some form of nontraditional hitting coaching — as evidenced by their atypical co-coach setup this summer — that could see Short and Heyman return in some other role.
Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen Discusses Offseason, Plans For 2022
When speaking with reporters two weeks ago, Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said he’d wait until the season was over before issuing a verdict on whether or not the D’Backs would try to contend next year or look to rebuild. That season-ending meeting has now taken place, as Hazen spoke with media (including The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert) and acknowledged that “coming off a 52-win season, making up 30 games on our win total is probably going to be somewhat challenging.”
“I’m not going to sell the team short, but I’m also not going to be unrealistic about realizing that we are a 52-win team,” Hazen said. “And you might get tired of me saying that but I’m going to keep saying it because I want us all to remember where we are right now, and it’s easily the worst place that I’ve ever sat, and I’m responsible for it, so it’s even more painful.”
Hazen didn’t officially label the Diamondbacks’ situation as a rebuild, reload, “step back,” or any similar terminology, and also indicated that it might not take too long to get the organization back on track. Hazen spoke highly of Arizona’s young prospects in the upper minors (some of whom are expected to make their big league debuts in 2022), and pointed to this wave of talent as evidence that the organizational pipeline was in good condition. “This isn’t a situation, for me, where we are relying on a series of top-five draft picks to get us back into a position where we should be. That’s my opinion,” Hazen said.
Of course, the critical next step is turning those prospects into contributors at the MLB level. To that end, Hazen gave credit to the division rival Giants as an example of a team that has been able to get the most of its roster, with both younger players and veterans. “I’m not sure that from top to bottom the consistency through which we are executing and helping our players is being done to the level that we should be doing it at,” Hazen said.
In terms of the Major League roster, Hazen said that the bullpen needs to be “rebuilt,” and that “I envision going into Spring Training with a lot of competition” at various positions, including third base. While this doesn’t necessarily mean the D’Backs will be moving veteran players, Hazen said that he has to consider every option in the wake of the team’s struggles over the last two years.
This represents a slight change from Hazen’s perspective back in June, when the Diamondbacks’ plan going into the trade deadline was to explore dealing shorter-term veterans but keeping a core group in place for future building. If nothing else, Hazen’s most recent comments create a bit more possibility that the likes of a Ketel Marte could be traded, though it’s probably safe to assume that Marte wouldn’t be moved for anything less than a huge offer.
GM Mike Hazen Discusses Diamondbacks’ Season, Defense, Marte
Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen spoke with The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan (multiple links), The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and other reporters on Tuesday about several topics related to the team’s rough season, though Hazen demurred about the broad decision facing the team when asked if the D’Backs were planning to rebuild or if they would try to contend in 2022.
“I am going to punt that question for 13 more days,” Hazen said, referring to the very end of the regular season. In general, Hazen and other team officials are still in discussions and meetings about the state of the franchise in the wake of Arizona’s disastrous 48-104 record. The D’Backs are currently tied with the Orioles for the worst record in baseball, and “we need to understand exactly what’s happened and how it’s happened.”
Naturally, multiple factors combined to turn 2021 into a nightmare year for the Diamondbacks, so there is no shortage of analysis that needs to take place within the Arizona front office. Since Hazen’s interview on Tuesday, however, one notable decision has already been made, as Hazen announced this afternoon that manager Torey Lovullo has been signed to a contract extension that will run through the 2022 season, with a club option for 2023.
Hazen said Tuesday that the fault for the Diamondbacks’ issues didn’t lie with Lovullo or any one person, and took his own share of responsibility: “The job I’ve done should be scrutinized fairly heavily. As much as we’ve talked about others, we should be talking about me.” Hazen’s own contractual status isn’t publicly known, as the terms of his multi-year extension in September 2019 weren’t announced. Hazen’s original deal ran until the end of the 2020 season, and it is fair to guess that at least two or three additional years were added in this new contract.
Off-the-field concerns also certainly play a role in Hazen’s future. He took a physical leave of absence from the team in June in order to spend time with his family and care for his wife, Nicole, as she battles brain cancer. Hazen praised his front office colleagues (assistant GMs Amiel Sawdaye and Mike Fitzgerald, and special assistant Allard Baird) for their work, and he noted that “I feel like I’ve done my job to the best of my ability and locked into the same things I’ve locked into before.”
One organizational aspect that seems likely to change is how the Diamondbacks approached their need for defensive versatility, as Hazen said “I do think that we probably have” had players playing out of their ideal position too often. “If we’re playing guys out of position, if we’re asking guys to do too much, if the level of preparation for three different guys is not possible for four or five guys, all those things are things we’re going to have to work through,” the GM said.
While every team strives to have a flexible roster complete with multi-position options, injuries and a lack of performance forced several D’Backs players into unfamiliar roles in 2021. The results have been mediocre at best, as the Diamondbacks are 18th of 30 teams in UZR/150 (-1.1), 21st in Outs Above Average (-10), and tied for 28th in Defensive Runs Saved (-48).
That said, “it is the easiest thing in my mind that we have a chance to go into this offseason and — fix is the wrong word, I don’t know exactly what’s broken — lock down on being a good defensive team,” Hazen said. “We have that within our capability….I think we’ve pushed that [moving players around the diamond] to the limit and I think you’ve seen the dam break a little bit this year. I do think we have to start honing in on who is going to thrive in that setting and who would be better off locking down one spot. Those are going to be part of the conversations we’ll be having.”
This could extend to the Diamondbacks’ best player, Ketel Marte. Hazen implied that Marte would mostly stick at one position in 2022, which would appear to be second base based on Marte’s recent comments to Lovullo. Marte has played mostly at the keystone in both 2018 and 2020, but the D’Backs have used him primarily as a center fielder this year, and also as a shortstop in the past. From a defensive standpoint, Marte has looked far more solid as a second baseman than at other positions, so Arizona might simplify matters by just using Marte every day at second base next year.
Whether Marte will be on the Diamondbacks’ roster at all might be a matter of some debate. If the D’Backs did look to embark on a rebuild, Marte (who is controlled through 2024 on a pair of club options) would be a prime trade chip, though he wasn’t moved at this past trade deadline, as Hazen said in June that the team was looking to keep its core group of talent together. That perspective might well change as the offseason begins, should the D’Backs indeed decide that an overhaul is needed, or perhaps if another team simply makes an offer for Marte that Hazen feels is too good to pass up.
Diamondbacks Extend Torey Lovullo
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo will remain with the team after signing a contract extension, GM Mike Hazen told reporters. Lovullo’s previous contract was set to expire following the 2021 season, but his new deal is guaranteed through the 2022 season with a club option for 2023.
Hazen recently told reporters that he hoped to have a decision made about Lovullo’s future before the season was over, and the skipper has now received a bit more security heading into what might be a tumultuous offseason in Arizona. The D’Backs are tied with the Orioles for the worst record in baseball (48-104), as Arizona has followed up a rough 2020 season with an outright disaster of a 2021 campaign.
So many things have gone wrong for the D’Backs over the last two years that Lovullo is hardly to blame for all of the team’s problems, though the extension also can’t be viewed as a huge vote of confidence. With only one more guaranteed year added, Lovullo’s lame-duck status could very well continue deep into the 2022 campaign, as Hazen and the front office have given themselves some flexibility in determining the manager’s role amidst many other large questions about the future direction of the franchise.
The Diamondbacks’ struggles over the last two seasons have sunk Lovullo’s record as manager to 333-365, though it wasn’t long ago that Lovullo was drawing widespread praise for his work in Arizona’s dugout. Lovullo built a strong reputation as a minor league manager in the Indians organization and then as a coach with the Blue Jays and Red Sox (also serving as Boston’s interim manager for the last month and a half of the 2015 season) before being hired by the D’Backs following the 2016 season.
Lovullo’s first season with Arizona saw him win NL Manager Of The Year honors while leading the Snakes to a 93-69 record and a victory over the Rockies in the NL Wild Card game. While that remains Lovullo’s lone postseason trip as manager, the Diamondbacks also had winning records in both 2018 and 2019.
Between a widespread array of injuries and under-performance from so many players up and down the roster, Lovullo hasn’t had much to work with, particularly in the bullpen. Hazen made a point of observing the Diamondbacks’ 9-29 record in one-run games, noting that while the team is still coming up short, the fact that they’re staying competitive is some testament to how the D’Backs are still responding to Lovullo even while playing out the string.
Jake Faria Elects Free Agency
The Diamondbacks announced last night that Jake Faria has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. Arizona designated him for assignment over the weekend.
It’s possible Faria latches on elsewhere in the coming days, but it seems likelier the move brings an end to his 2021 campaign. There are a little less than two weeks to play in the regular season, and Faria is ineligible for postseason play since he’s been let go after August 31. The 28-year-old will presumably field minor league offers with Spring Training invitations from clubs this winter.
Faria began this season on a minors deal with his hometown Angels. He didn’t make it to the big leagues in Anaheim but signed a major league contract with the D-Backs shortly after being released in mid-June. Faria spent the next three months in the desert, posting a 5.51 ERA across 32 2/3 innings (all but three of his appearances coming in relief). The righty threw a decent amount of strikes, but he posted below-average swinging strike and ground-ball rates.
It has been a few seasons since we’ve seen Faria at his best. He broke into the majors with an impressive 3.43 ERA/4.26 SIERA across 86 2/3 frames with the Rays in 2017. He hasn’t been able to consistently build off that promising rookie showing in the years since, owning just a 5.65 ERA since the start of the 2018 season. Faria has a more consistent track record of productivity in Triple-A, pitching to a 3.99 ERA over five seasons with an impressive 27.9% strikeout rate.
D-Backs’ Seth Beer To Undergo Shoulder Surgery
Diamondbacks first baseman Seth Beer will undergo left shoulder surgery this week, manager Torey Lovullo informed reporters (including Steve Gilbert of MLB.com). The 25-year-old dislocated his shoulder diving for a ball in a game against the Dodgers last week.
It’s unclear if the procedure will affect Beer’s readiness for Spring Training in 2022, but Lovullo said the recovery process will take “months, not weeks” (via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic). While the D-Backs have long since been playing out the string on this year, it’s discouraging news that one of the club’s more promising young bats might be impacted by health issues heading into next season.
Beer just recently got his first call to the majors, appearing in only four games before his injury. He’s gone 4-9 to start his major league career, including a home run off the Mariners’ Diego Castillo in his first big league at-bat. That came on the heels of a strong season with Triple-A Reno, where the lefty-hitting Beer put up a .287/.398/.511 line in 435 plate appearances.
Prospect evaluators have long questioned Beer’s defensive aptitude at first base, but there’s little debate he’s a promising offensive player. The potential introduction of a designated hitter to the National League in the upcoming offseason’s collective bargaining negotiations would figure to be a boon to his chances of playing regularly in Arizona. Barring changes to the service time structure in the next CBA, Beer will be under team control for at least the next six seasons — future optional assignments could push back that trajectory even more — and won’t reach arbitration eligibility until the 2024-25 offseason.
Diamondbacks Designate Jake Faria, Select Ildemaro Vargas
The Diamondbacks announced that right-hander Jake Faria has been designated for assignment. Faria will be replaced on the active roster by utilityman Ildemaro Vargas, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Reno.
The move essentially bookends Faria’s tenure in Arizona, as Vargas was DFA’ed to create roster space when Faria was signed back in June. Faria was inconsistent over 32 2/3 innings with the D’Backs, posting a 5.51 ERA and only a 20.8% strikeout rate.
Now in his fourth MLB season, Faria tried to shuffle the deck by using his curveball more often, though it didn’t lead to any great difference in results. After some promising numbers in his 2017 rookie season with the Rays, Faria has since posted a 5.65 ERA over 116 1/3 innings with Tampa, Milwaukee, and Arizona, and he also spent some time with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate earlier this year.
Vargas has already appeared for three different teams during the 2021 season, amassing 55 total plate appearances over 25 games with the Cubs, Pirates, and D’Backs. The veteran utilityman has spent much of his MLB career with Arizona, though he bounced around the league via three different waiver claims in the last year before returning to the Diamondbacks in June.
Diamondbacks Activate Merrill Kelly
The Diamondbacks have reinstated Merrill Kelly from the COVID-19 injured list. He’ll get the start this evening against the Dodgers, his first action in a month after he tested positive for the coronavirus. Tyler Gilbert was placed on the 10-day injured list with elbow fatigue in a corresponding move.
Kelly has been one of the D-Backs’ most reliable starters this year. While his promising 2020 campaign was cut short by thoracic outlet syndrome, the 32-year-old has bounced back and remained durable until his positive COVID diagnosis. Kelly has tossed 142 1/3 frames over 24 starts, working to a 4.30 ERA. He’s not missed many bats, but Kelly’s a great strike-thrower and has induced grounders at a roughly league average rate en route to solid production.
The final few weeks will offer Kelly an opportunity to make a handful of starts and hopefully demonstrate he’s returned to prior form after a month away. His contract contains an eminently affordable $5.25MM club option, which looks like a lock to be exercised. At that point, Kelly would become one of the offseason’s more notable trade candidates, with the Diamondbacks unlikely to compete next season. Plenty of more immediate contenders could use the affordable, mid-rotation stability Kelly brings and seem likely to be in contact with the Arizona front office over the winter.
To open space on the 40-man roster, the D-Backs recalled minor league reliever Kevin Ginkel and placed him on the major league 60-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. The move officially ends his season, but Ginkel will pick up MLB service time and pay for the final few weeks. The 27-year-old has been up-and-down over the past three years, combining for a 4.72 ERA over 68 2/3 big league frames.
