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Diamondbacks Sign Paul Sewald

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TODAY: Arizona officially announced the Sewald signing, and Justin Martinez was placed on the 60-day injured list in the corresponding 40-man roster move.

FEBRUARY 12: The D-backs are bringing right-hander Paul Sewald back to Arizona on a one-year, $1.5MM contract, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The agreement is pending a physical. Sewald is represented by ISE Baseball.

Sewald, who’ll be 36 in May, spent the second half of the 2023 season and all of the 2024 season in Arizona after coming over in a deadline trade that shipped outfielder Dominic Canzone, infielder Josh Rojas and infielder Ryan Bliss back to the Mariners. The veteran right-hander battled unusually shaky command but posted solid results down the stretch in ’23 before seeing his overall production take a step back in a 2024 season that was truncated by oblique and neck injuries.

After becoming a free agent following the 2024 campaign, Sewald signed a one-year, $7MM deal in Cleveland. He pitched only 15 1/3 innings for the Guardians, this time due to a shoulder strain. The Tigers picked him up in a small deadline deal despite the fact that he was on the injured list, and he pitched 4 1/3 innings for Detroit late in the year.

Sewald was a tenth-round pick by the Mets back in 2012 and had an unremarkable four-year stint in Queens, pitching to a 5.50 ERA in 147 1/3 innings. He was a minor league free agent gem for the Mariners, however, signing with Seattle ahead of the 2021 season and quickly emerging as a go-to reliever. In two-plus seasons as a Mariner, Sewald pitched 171 2/3 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 52 saves, 24 holds, an enormous 35% strikeout rate and a solid 8.1% walk rate.

We’re now a few years removed from that peak. Sewald’s average fastball sat at just 90.4 mph last season, down 2.1 mph from its peak, and he’s posted a 4.40 ERA over his past 59 1/3 MLB frames. That said, he’s still fanned more than one quarter of his opponents while posting a strong 6.5% walk rate in that time. His slider still grades out as at least an average pitch, if not slightly better, and it’s possible that improved health could add a bit more life back to his heater or bring some additional whiffs back on that breaking ball.

For an Arizona club in dire need of bullpen help, it’s hard to fault the addition of an experienced, generally successful reliever at less than two times the $780K league minimum. Sewald probably won’t return to peak levels, but he doesn’t need to in order to benefit this version of manager Torey Lovullo’s bullpen. The Snakes are without Martinez, A.J. Puk, and Andrew Saalfrank, all of whom will open the season on the injured list. Saalfrank won’t pitch at all this year. Puk is probably out until at least June. Martinez may not be back until late in the summer.

At the moment, the Diamondbacks’ bullpen includes Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, trade acquisition Kade Strowd and another bargain pickup in righty Taylor Clarke. There’s no shortage of candidates to compete for the final few spots. Brandyn Garcia, Drey Jameson, Philip Abner, Juan Morillo, Andrew Hoffmann and non-roster invitees Jonathan Loaisiga, John Curtiss and Shawn Dubin are among the candidates. Sewald will add some low-cost stability — a veteran reliever who even as his numbers have taken a step back in recent seasons has at least remained serviceable. If things don’t pan out, the Snakes can cut him and move on, but the Sewald reunion is a sensible one, given the team’s lack of bullpen certainty and minimal capacity to further add to the payroll.

D-backs Notes: Lawlar, Burnes, Bullpen, Santana

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The Diamondbacks’ acquisition of future Hall of Famer Nolan Arenado (alongside their decision not to trade Ketel Marte) pushed longtime top prospect Jordan Lawlar out of the club’s infield mix, at least on paper. That’s led to some questions about his role moving forward, but manager Torey Lovullo revealed to reporters (including Alex Weiner of AZ Sports) yesterday where the team hopes to play Lawlar going forward: center field. That would displace incumbent center fielder Alek Thomas, who Lovullo suggested would move around the outfield amid injuries to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll.

Of course, that plan to play Lawlar in center field is predicated on him proving himself capable of handling the position this spring. He played three games in center during the Dominican Winter League this offseason, but otherwise has spent his entire professional career on the dirt. His 98th percentile sprint speed in 2025 certainly suggests he has the wheels to handle the position, offering plenty of reason for optimism, but that lack of experience calls into question how effectively he’ll be able to pick up the position on the fly. It wouldn’t be the first time a team converted an infield prospect to center over the course of one Spring Training, as the division rival Padres managed to do just that with Jackson Merrill two years ago. Merrill turned in one of the best defensive seasons in the entire sport as a rookie, and should offer some optimism about Lawlar’s ability to follow suit.

Perhaps the biggest question for Lawlar isn’t whether he’s physically capable of handling center field, but whether he’s capable of staying on the field long enough to prove it. Between Triple-A and the majors, Lawlar has just 113 games played over the past two seasons due to a variety of injuries. Last season, he missed multiple months with a hamstring strain, while a thumb injury cost him most of 2024. In between those injuries, he’s struggled in brief cameos at the big league level but has managed to continue raking at Triple-A, offering some reason for optimism that he’ll figure things out offensively if given consistent playing time. He’ll now get that playing time at the expense of Thomas, who was once a former top propsect himself but has never quite managed to hit well in the majors with a career 74 wRC+ that peaked at 81 last season. Thomas figures to join Jorge Barrosa, Tim Tawa, and perhaps non-roster invitees like Ildemaro Vargas and Ryan Waldschmidt in mixing and matching in the corners while Carroll and Gurriel are out of commission.

Turning to the pitching staff, ace right-hander Corbin Burnes missed much of his first season in Arizona due to Tommy John surgery but figures to contribute after completing his rehab at some point this year. Burnes himself spoke to reporters (video link via MLB.com) about his timeline for return yesterday, and suggested that he’s expecting to return around the All-Star break. Burnes added that he plans to “try and make it [back] sooner,” though considering he went under the knife in June that could be a tall ask given the procedure’s typical recovery timeline. Adding Burnes back to the rotation would obviously be a massive boost. The former Cy Young award winner had a 2.66 ERA in 11 starts last year (albeit with less impressive peripherals) and placed in the top ten in Cy Young voting in each of the past five seasons prior to his injured 2025 campaign.

Burnes will be working towards a return alongside the team’s two highest leverage relievers, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk. It appears his projected timeline falls in the middle of the two relief arms, as described by the players themselves in comments made to AZ Sports. Martinez suggested that he’s anticipating a return in August of this year, though he acknowledged it “could be earlier, could be later” depending on how things go from here. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June, like Burnes did. Puk also went under the knife in June, but he underwent a less-invasive internal brace procedure. The southpaw told reporters he hopes to be back by the end of May, but acknowledged that isn’t necessarily realistic. Still, he expressed confidence that he’ll be back on the mound before the second half, which indicates he could be looking at a return to action at some point in June.

Adding Puk and Martinez back to the relief staff could be majorly impactful for the Diamondbacks given their difficulties in finding high leverage relief help this year. The team figures to run back more or less the same group of relievers they finished last year with, as non-roster invitee Jonathan Loaisiga figures to be the most impactful reliever added to the roster during the offseason. Loaisiga has struggled to stay healthy over the years, and while he has a career 3.54 ERA at the big league level he struggled last year with middling results and worrisome peripherals (including a 5.83 FIP) in 30 appearances for the Yankees.

While Burnes, Puk, and Martinez all figure to spend Spring Training rehabbing their injured elbows, first baseman Carlos Santana figures to be preparing for the World Baseball Classic. Santana was one of many players who was unable to secure insurance to play in the World Baseball Classic, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Diamondbacks decided to give Santana the green light to play in the tournament uninsured. He’ll represent the Dominican Republic alongside teammate Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo, and Hazen indicated that giving Santana the opportunity to bond with his new teammates over the shared experience of representing their home country was a factor in the team’s decision to assume the financial risk of the soon to be 40-year-old veteran getting injured. Santana is slated to make $2MM this year on his one-year deal with Arizona, and Rosenthal notes that, according to club GM Mike Hazen, Santana’s ability to be a clubhouse leader and guide other players on the team was a big part of why he was signed.

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

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Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

D-Backs Notes: Arenado, Donovan, Bullpen, Puk

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The months of Nolan Arenado trade rumors came to a close on Tuesday when the Cardinals dealt the 10-time Gold Glove winner to the Diamondbacks. St. Louis paid his contract down to two years and $11MM, while Arizona parted with last year’s eighth round draft pick (Jack Martinez). The Cardinals had made no secret of their desire to shed a portion of Arenado’s salary and open space at third base for younger players, with Nolan Gorman likely to get the first run.

Arenado’s full no-trade clause gave him say over his destination. He had a limited number of teams to which he would have accepted a deal last offseason. He expanded that list this winter and discussed the decision on an introductory Zoom call with reporters. “Seeing where (the Cardinals) were headed the past few years, it was very evident that there’s a step they need to take,” Arenado said (link via Sam Blum of The Athletic). “Letting these young guys go and finding out who they are, and who their identity is. I think I’m just kind of in the way of that, in a sense. I kind of always felt like that last year.”

Asked about the appeal of the Diamondbacks specifically, Arenado pointed to their position player core built around Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte (video provided by Steve Gilbert of MLB.com). He noted the geographic proximity to his native Southern California and expressed excitement about the team’s playing style. He’ll take over as the everyday third baseman and should at least provide a strong glove, though it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank offensively. He’s going into his age-35 season on the heels of a .237/.289/.377 showing over 107 games.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that conversations with the Diamondbacks developed quickly. Arizona had been involved in the market for free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, who agreed to a five-year deal with the Cubs on Saturday. It wasn’t until last Friday that reports emerged that they had firmly pulled Marte off the trade market. While the Cardinals and D-Backs had discussed Arenado throughout the winter, it seems talks accelerated in the wake of the Bregman/Marte developments.

Goold writes that the Snakes had also been among the teams to reach out to the Cards about Brendan Donovan. Their interest in the left-handed hitting utilityman had not previously been reported. That’s unlikely to mean much at this point. St. Louis is widely expected to trade Donovan, but teams like the Mariners and Giants appear more engaged. Arizona has Marte, Perdomo and Arenado in the three infield spots to the left of first base. Donovan would be an upgrade in left field, but a team with a second base need will probably be more motivated to part with high-end prospect talent.

Arizona’s focuses now seem to be a right-handed hitting first baseman and the bullpen. Franchise icon Paul Goldschmidt has made sense as a target in the former role all offseason, and the acquisition of his longtime St. Louis teammate only strengthens that fit. They may need to take more of a patchwork approach to the bullpen. This week’s one-year, $1.55MM deal to bring back Taylor Clarke is their only big league bullpen pickup to date.

Clarke projects as more of a middle or long reliever than a leverage arm. That’s true of essentially everyone in the Arizona ’pen until A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez return from last year’s elbow surgeries. General manager Mike Hazen acknowledged that while the front office would love to add an established late-game arm, that’ll be challenging at this stage.

“Would I like to have somebody that has a clear pedigree of pitching in the eighth and ninth inning? That’s an easier answer. I’m not sure what we’ll have access to in that way,” Hazen told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. He acknowledged they need to continue adding to the bullpen this offseason but suggested the biggest impact would probably come from internal improvements and hopefully getting Martinez and Puk healthy. Arizona prioritized upper minors pitching in last summer’s deadline activity. Brandyn Garcia, Juan Burgos and Andrew Hoffmann all came over as inexperienced but essentially MLB-ready bullpen pieces.

Of the injury returnees, it seems Puk is further along. Piecoro writes that the D-Backs hope to get the southpaw back within the first few months of the season, while Martinez is targeting a second half return. Puk underwent internal brace surgery in late June. Martinez required a full Tommy John reconstruction, which comes with a longer recovery timeline. It was the second elbow ligament procedure of each pitcher’s career, as they’d both had Tommy John surgeries during their prospect days.

Diamondbacks Sign Anthony DeSclafani To Major League Contract

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TODAY: The D’Backs announced that DeSclafani signed a big league deal, and he has been added to the active roster.  To create roster space, right-hander Bryce Jarvis was optioned to Triple-A and Justin Martinez (who will miss the rest of the season due to UCL surgery) was shifted from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.

JUNE 12: Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani has opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees and is joining the Diamondbacks, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. It’s unclear if he’ll be signing a major or minor league deal with Arizona.

DeSclafani, 35, signed a minor league deal with the Yankees about a month ago. He has since made five starts at the Triple-A level, allowing 4.50 earned runs per nine in his 20 innings. He struck out 22.2% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 10% clip and getting grounders on 42.4% of balls in play. All those rates are fairly close to typical big league averages.

It’s a small sample of work but DeSclafani has a lengthy major league track record. The larger question in recent years has been health, or the lack thereof. From 2015 to 2021, he posted a 3.97 ERA over 791 major league innings. That was enough to get him a three-year, $36MM deal from the Giants going into 2022.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to provide much return on that investment. Right ankle inflammation hobbled him throughout 2022, limiting him to five starts with a 6.63 ERA. In 2023, he logged 99 2/3 innings with a 4.88 ERA but didn’t pitch after July due to a right elbow flexor strain. He was traded to the Mariners and then the Twins ahead of the 2024 season but required season-ending flexor tendon surgery in March.

DeSclafani is now almost two years removed from his most recent major league game but appears to be healthy now. He has averaged 92.5 miles per hour on his fastball so far this year. That’s a bit down from a few years ago, as he averaged between 93 and 95 mph during his best years, but he might still be ramping up after a lengthy layoff.

Unsurprisingly, the Yankees didn’t have a fit for him at the big league level. Despite several injuries, their rotation is in decent shape. They have Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren and Ryan Yarbrough. They could get Marcus Stroman and JT Brubaker back soon, as both are on rehab assignments. Luis Gil is tossing bullpens and could be on his own rehab assignment in the coming weeks.

The Diamondbacks have a shakier rotation. They recently lost Corbin Burnes to Tommy John surgery. Jordan Montgomery has been out all year due to that same procedure. That leaves them with Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodríguez and Ryne Nelson. Kelly has been good but he’s the exception. Each of Gallen, Pfaadt and Rodríguez has an ERA north of 5.00. Rodríguez also just returned from an IL stint for shoulder inflammation. Nelson’s ERA is at 4.60 but he’s largely been in a long relief role this year. He just returned to the rotation in the wake of the Burnes injury but allowed seven runs in three innings against the Reds on Saturday. Potential replacements like Cristian Mena and Blake Walston are also on the shelf.

In short, DeSclafani has a far better chance to returning to the big leagues with the Snakes than with the Yanks, so this is a sensible move for him. If he is jumping right into the big leagues, the Diamondbacks would need to make corresponding moves to get him onto the active and 40-man rosters. If it’s a minor league deal, he’ll presumably report to Triple-A Reno to continue ramping up there.

Photo courtesy of D. Ross Cameron, Imagn Images.

Justin Martínez To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Diamondbacks right-hander Justin Martínez will undergo Tommy John surgery. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo relayed the info today, per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix. He’ll miss the remainder of this season and a decent chunk of 2026 as well. He is already on the 15-day injured list but will be transferred to the 60-day IL once the club needs to open a roster spot.

The news is devastating but not especially surprising. Earlier this week, Martínez landed on the IL and the Diamondbacks announced his injury as a sprain of his right ulnar collateral ligament. A sprain, by definition, involves some degree of stretching or tearing. Not all UCL sprains lead to surgery but many do.

Now that Martínez will go under the knife, he’ll be out of action for a long time. The surgery usually takes 14 to 18 months of recovery, so he’ll certainly out for the rest of this season. A return in the second half of 2026 is possible but not a guarantee.

That’s a huge blow for the Arizona bullpen. Martínez broke out last year with 72 2/3 innings with a 2.48 earned run average. His 11.7% walk rate was a bit high but he punched out 29.5% of batters faced and got opponents to pound 58.9% of balls in play into the ground.

Coming into 2025, he and A.J. Puk were supposed to be the anchors of the bullpen. The Snakes even gave Martínez a five-year, $18MM extension to cement him as part of the long-term plans. But Martínez has been on and off the IL this year, first due to shoulder inflammation and now this UCL injury. Puk has also been on the IL for almost two months now due to elbow inflammation.

Naturally, missing those two has hampered the bullpen. Arizona relievers have a collective 5.21 ERA this year, which is better than just the Angels, Nationals and Athletics. The club is 34-34 on the year, 4.5 games back of a playoff spot. Puk could be back at some point later in the year but they will have to try to survive without Martínez. If they hang in the race long enough to be buyers, then adding bullpen help at the deadline would make plenty of sense.

For the team, there is one silver lining. The extension they signed with Martínez contained two club options for 2030 and 2031, followed by a conditional club option for 2032. That conditional option would be worth $3MM and would be unlocked if Martínez required elbow surgery or spent a certain number of days on the injured list during the course of the deal. Now that he is going under the knife, that option will be officially available to them.

That’s assuming Martínez can get back on the mound and return to his previous form, which would prompt the Snakes to pick up those club options. Though Tommy John surgeries are quite common, not all pitchers can get 100% effectiveness back afterwards. Martínez is also undergoing the procedure for a second time, which adds to the risk. He first went under the knife as a prospect in 2021.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Place Justin Martínez On IL With UCL Sprain

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The Diamondbacks announced a series of roster moves today. Right-handers Kevin Ginkel and Bryce Jarvis have been recalled from Triple-A Reno and the club has also selected the contract of right-hander Tayler Scott. To open spots for those three, righty Jeff Brigham has been optioned to Reno while righties Justin Martínez and Christian Montes De Oca have both been placed on the 15-day injured list. Martínez has a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament while Montes De Oca has right elbow inflammation. To open a 40-man spot for Scott, righty Cristian Mena has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

The news on Martínez is ominous. The righty called the training staff to the mound during last night’s appearance. It was later relayed to reporters that he was experiencing elbow tightness. A sprain, by definition, involves some stretching or tearing of the ligament. Per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, manager Torey Lovullo says Martínez is now set for a second opinion on his injury.

Whenever a pitcher’s elbow is injured, it raises alarm bells about a possible surgery and those concerns certainly appear to be warranted here. It should be pointed out that not all sprains necessarily lead to a operation. To pick one recent example, Mason Miller was diagnosed with a mild UCL sprain in May of 2023 and ultimately did not head to the surgeon’s table. However, it took him four months to get back on the mound, as he wasn’t reinstated from the IL until September of that year.

It may take a few more days to determine the prognosis with Martínez but it seems like it will be an unfortunate development regardless. The righty seemed to break out as one of the best relievers in the sport last year. He tossed 72 2/3 innings for the Diamondbacks with a 2.48 earned run average. His 11.7% walk rate was certainly high but he struck out 29.5% of opponents and got grounders on 58.9% of balls in play.

The Diamondbacks believed in that breakout enough to lock up Martínez for the long term. He and the club agreed to a five-year extension in March that guarantees him $18MM, with two club options as well. Unfortunately, the first season of that deal has been a bit of a bust so far. Martínez already missed about three weeks due to some shoulder inflammation and is now back on the IL again with an even scarier diagnosis. He has only been able to throw 15 1/3 innings with a 4.11 ERA this year.

Martínez and A.J. Puk were supposed to be the two big weapons in the Arizona bullpen this year. Puk made just eight appearances before landing on the IL in mid-April due to elbow inflammation. He was later diagnosed with a flexor strain and transferred to the 60-day IL. His return timeline is unclear. Now it seems possible the Snakes may have to proceed without either of those hurlers for a while. They also put Kendall Graveman on the 15-day IL yesterday due to a hip impingement.

It’s the latest punch in what has been a bruising season for the Diamondbacks. They have lost starters Corbin Burnes and Jordan Montgomery to Tommy John surgery. Their bullpen has taken a number of hits. Some of their healthy pitchers have been underperforming. Though the Snakes came into the season with high hopes, they are now fourth in the National League West and 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race, a less than ideal time to be hemorrhaging key players.

If Martínez does have a serious injury, there would be one silver lining for the Diamondbacks in the long term. His extension has a conditional club option for 2032, valued at just $3MM. That would be triggered if he requires surgery or missed a certain number of days on the IL during the course of the deal.

While the club awaits for information there, they have to proceed with the business of the games on the schedule. They have added a number of arms to the active roster, which includes adding Scott to the 40-man. The 33-year-old Scott elected free agency last month after being designated for assignment by the Astros, which led to a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks.

He seemed to have a nice late-bloomer breakout with Houston last year, posting a 2.23 ERA over 68 2/3 innings. He struck out 25.2% of batters faced, though also gave out walks at a 12.4% pace. There was likely a bit of luck in that ERA, as his .230 batting average on balls in play and 84.9% strand rate were both to the fortunate side. ERA estimators like his 4.13 FIP and 4.04 SIERA pointed to some regression though still suggested he could be a capable big league arm.

The pendulum swing ended up being quite strong. He posted a 5.40 ERA through 16 2/3 innings to start this year. His .313 BABIP and 65.2% strand rate went to the other side of average as his strikeout rate fell to 20.5% and his walk rate climbed to 15.4%.

Since he’s out of options, that got him bumped off the roster and to free agency. Since landing with the D’Backs, he has thrown 3 1/3 scoreless innings for Reno. He may have a tenuous grasp on a roster spot, given his out-of-options status, but he, Ginkel and Jarvis will give the club three fresh arms after they used eight different pitchers to get through yesterday’s 11-inning game against the Mariners.

As for Mena, he just landed on the IL a few days ago with a shoulder strain. Lovullo said his absence would be measured in “weeks, not days.” Given today’s IL transfer, he will be ineligible for reinstatement until early August.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Place Justin Martinez On 15-Day IL, Transfer A.J. Puk To 60-Day IL

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The D-backs announced Thursday that they’ve placed closer Justin Martinez on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. Lefty Jose Castillo’s contract was selected from Triple-A Reno to take his spot on the active roster. Fellow southpaw A.J. Puk moves from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL to create 40-man roster space for Castillo.

Martinez was set for an MRI this morning after experiencing an alarming velocity drop over the past week. He’s gone from averaging triple digits on his power sinker to sitting just 93.5 mph in his most recent appearance. Though the right-hander claimed he felt 100% healthy, he’ll head to the injured list with a still-vague injury designation. The D-backs will surely provide more information on his status and potential timeline later today.

This slate of injury-related moves is a brutal blow for a D-backs team that spent much of the offseason looking for established bullpen arms but wound up making generally smaller-scale moves. Martinez and Puk are the team’s two best relievers and entered the year as the favorites to work in save and high-leverage hold situations. They’re both on the shelf, and while Puk’s flexor strain won’t require surgery, today’s move to the 60-day IL only further underlines the fact that Arizona is going to be without him for quite some time.

Martinez, 23, averaged 100.2 mph on his sinker in 2024 and averaged better than 100 mph on the pitch in each of his first eight appearances this year. A dip into the 97-99 mph range over his next three outings was concerning but not necessarily cause for full-fledged alarm. Last night’s drop all the way to 93.5 mph, in an outing where he faced three hitters and allowed two walks and a home run, is another story entirely.

It’s become an ominous situation for D-backs fans to monitor, and one that’s compounded by Puk’s absence. Martinez broke out with a 2.48 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate, 11.7% walk rate, 58.9% ground-ball rate, eight saves and seven holds across 72 2/3 innings for the Snakes last year. He clearly has some command issues, but the elite velocity coupled with plus strikeout and ground-ball rates helped to mitigate that bloated walk rate.

The D-backs, clearly bullish on Martinez’s future, signed him to a five-year, $18MM extension during spring training. The contract contains a pair of club options for the 2030-31 seasons, which would’ve been Martinez’s first two free agent years. At the time, there was little reason to fear an injury (beyond the general attrition rate of pitchers in today’s game). Now, the outlook is far hazier.

Were Puk healthy, the Diamondbacks would surely have just plugged him into the closer’s role and moved forward with Kevin Ginkel setting up. But Puk hit the injured list with elbow inflammation after a strong eight-inning start to his 2025 season, and a subsequent MRI revealed a flexor strain that’ll require a notable shutdown period.

With Martinez and Puk both shelved, the D-backs will likely turn closing duties over to a combination of Ginkel and Shelby Miller, who returned to Arizona on a minor league deal this offseason and has been outstanding after earning a job this spring. Ginkel only just returned from his own bout of shoulder inflammation, which sidelined him for the first month of the season. From 2022-24, he pitched a combined 164 2/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate. Miller has pitched 12 2/3 scoreless innings in his return to Phoenix, punching out a gaudy 31.9% of opponents against an 8.5% walk rate.

The 29-year-old Castillo isn’t likely to replicate the type of results that could’ve been expected from either Martinez or Puk, but he’s a reasonably experienced southpaw who’s had some prior success in the majors. Back in 2018-19, the southpaw looked to be breaking out as a viable bullpen arm for the division-rival Padres, pitching to a combined 3.23 ERA with a 35% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate in his first 39 big league innings.

Injuries have blown up Castillo’s career since. He suffered a torn ligament in his hand that cut his 2019 season short. A torn lat wiped out his 2020 season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and missed most of the 2022 season as a result. It’s a staggering run of unfortunate maladies for the southpaw, but he’s shown some encouraging signs since joining the D-backs on a minor league deal last year.

In 24 innings between Arizona’s Rookie-ball and Triple-A affiliates last year, Castillo notched a 3.75 ERA. He whiffed 24.1% of his opponents and issued walks at an 8.1% clip with Triple-A Reno. This year, he’s started out by holding opponents to a run on four hits and no walks with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 frames. Castillo has had an arduous grind to get back to the majors after pitching just two MLB frames from 2019-23. He’s now poised for his first real look in a bullpen since 2018, despite accumulating four years of MLB service time through his various stints on the 60-day injured list.

Because he only has four years of service, Castillo could be a multi-year option for Arizona if he can get back to his early career form. Enough time has already elapsed that he won’t be able to reach five years of service before the conclusion of the 2025 season. That means even if he’s back in the majors for good — and that’s far, far from certain — he can be controlled through the 2027 campaign via arbitration.

Diamondbacks, Justin Martínez Agree To Extension

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TODAY: The Diamondbacks officially announced the deal, which per the club’s announcement also includes a conditional club option for the 2032 season. According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the conditional option is worth $3MM and triggers if Martinez has elbow surgery at any point in the deal or spends a certain number of days on the injured list.

March 21: Right-hander Justin Martínez and the Diamondbacks have reportedly agreed to a contract extension, pending a physical. The deal will pay him $18MM over five years, with a couple of club options as well. He’ll get a $2MM signing bonus and a $1.5MM salary this year. He’ll then make salaries of $2MM, $3MM, $4MM and $5.5MM in the remaining guaranteed years. The 2030 club option is valued at $7MM followed by a $9MM option for 2031. It can max out at $39MM via escalators and those options. The guaranteed portion of the deal covers his remaining pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons, while the options give the Diamondbacks two potential extra years of control.

Martínez, 23, has a limited major league track record but has impressed in that time. He had a rough debut in 2023, allowing 14 earned runs in a small sample of ten innings. But he firmly established himself last year. He tossed 72 2/3 innings over 64 appearances for the D’Backs, allowing just 2.48 earned runs per nine innings. His 11.7% walk rate was definitely on the high side but he struck out 29.5% of batters faced and got grounders on 58.9% of balls in play.

He accomplished all that with an impressive arsenal, turning his Statcast page into a sea of red. His four-seam fastball and sinker both averaged over 100 miles per hour with Martínez also mixing in a splitter and a slider. He earned seven holds and eight saves last year, cementing himself as a key leverage arm for the Snakes.

Given that eye-popping performance, it’s understandable that the Snakes would look to lock him up. It’s also easy to see why Martínez might prefer to lock up some life-changing money now. He had just converted from the outfield to the mound in 2018 prior to being signed as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic. He got a $50K bonus, relatively modest compared to some of the multi-million-dollar bonuses high-profile prospects get. He has struggled with control problems throughout his minor league career and also had Tommy John surgery in 2021.

While Martínez is surely confident in his obvious talents, his trajectory has been more rocky than many other young players. That perhaps made him less likely to bet on himself than a player who already had millions in the bank and a smooth ride to the majors.

The deal is roughly in line with previous pacts for pre-arbitration relievers, as shown on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker. Emmanuel Clase got $20MM over five years from the Guardians going into the 2022 season. Clase then had between one and two years of service time, as Martínez does now. In both cases, the player locked up guaranteed money for their pre-arb and arb years, while giving up two free agent seasons via options. The Clase deal is tops for a reliever in this service bracket with Martínez coming in just below him.

Clase is an apt comparison for Martínez and a good illustration of what the Diamondbacks are hoping for. Clase was clearly a talented pitcher but had some uncertainty after missing the 2020 season due to a PED suspension. He pitched his first full season in 2021 and posted a 1.29 ERA over 71 appearances. The Guardians banked on Clase repeating that kind of performance going forward, a bet that has paid off. Clase has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball with a 1.72 ERA over the first three years of that deal.

The bar doesn’t need to be that high for Martínez. Even by the end of the deal, his salary stays fairly modest. Decent setup pitchers like Paul Sewald, Yimi García and Tommy Kahnle signed deals with salaries in the $7-8MM range this winter. That means Martínez will be a bargain even if he’s producing in the realm of those guys. But clearly, the ceiling is quite high and the Diamondbacks are hoping Martínez is a key part of the bullpen for years to come.

What remains to be seen is how Martínez will be utilized in the short term. Manager Torey Lovullo said this week, in video relayed by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, that he would likely not name a strict closer. He has two key lefties in A.J. Puk and Joe Mantiply, as well as righties Martínez and Kevin Ginkel. Based on Lovullo’s comments, he seems likely to put his pitchers in optimal platoon settings, at least until a more clear hierarchy emerges.

Moises Fabian of Mega 97.9 in New York first reported the details in Spanish, relaying the $18MM guarantee over five years and the club options valued at $7MM and $9MM. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic later reported the same details in English. Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reported the specific annual salaries.

Photos courtesy of Rob Schumacher, Imagn Images.

The D-backs’ Closing Competition

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The Diamondbacks entered the offseason in search of a new first baseman, a closer and some right-handed thump in the lineup, among other items on the to-do list. They’ve broadly succeeded, acquiring Josh Naylor from the Guardians to replace free agent Christian Walker and re-signing Randal Grichuk. The Snakes haven’t found a slam-dunk closer, but they signed a new (co) ace, shocking the industry with their signing of Corbin Burnes for six years and $210MM.

While there’s still one marquee free agent reliever on the market — David Robertson has yet to sign — it appears increasingly likely that the Diamondbacks will largely go with the arms who are already in camp as they look to sort out the ninth inning. Arizona’s payroll is already projected for a franchise-record $195MM. That’s a new highwater mark by a measure of nearly $30MM. We can always adopt the “never say never” mentality as long as there are a few viable closing options on the free agent and trade markets, but the D-backs may already have their closer in house. At present, A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez appear to be the front-runners.

Puk, acquired at the deadline from the Marlins in exchange for young slugger Deyvison De Los Santos and outfielder Andrew Pintar, enjoyed a quietly dominant season in 2024. His cumulative 3.15 ERA looks more good than great, but it’s skewed by a failed experiment wherein the Marlins tried to stretch him back out as a starter early in the season. Puk was clobbered for 17 runs in 13 2/3 innings. He moved back to the bullpen, and from that point forth was arguably the best reliever in the sport.

After giving up 17 earned runs in his four starts, Puk only allowed 11 more earned runs for the entire season. He posted a 1.72 ERA out of the bullpen in 2024, fanning a colossal 35% of his opponents against a terrific 5.1% walk rate. Opponents averaged only 86.6 mph off the bat against him in that time with a middling 32.6% hard-hit rate. Per Statcast, only five of his opponents’ batted balls in that time were barreled. Puk allowed a run in his second appearance with the D-backs and then went on a run for the ages, rattling off 23 2/3 scoreless innings with a 38-to-4 K/BB ratio. He punched out 44.7% of opponents in that career-best run.

Martinez was nearly as dominant for the early portion of the 2024 season. The young flamethrower posted a 1.60 ERA with a 27.5% strikeout rate and mammoth 64.5% grounder rate in his first 50 innings of work. His exit velocity and hard-hit rate were nearly identical to Puk’s marks as a reliever. An 11.5% walk rate was in clear need of improvement, but for a 22-year-old who averaged better than 100 mph on both his four-seamer and sinker, it’s hard to draw up a more promising start.

That run of dominance didn’t last the full season, however. While Martinez remained a solid reliever, his 3.90 ERA over the final 27 2/3 innings of his season was far less eye-catching. The young righty’s strikeout rate actually ticked up during that span, perhaps due to roughly doubling the usage of his four-seamer at the expense of his sinker, but his grounder rate fell sharply. There was surely some poor fortune in play, as Martinez was hampered by a .388 BABIP during this stretch despite continuing to limit hard contact (and allowing only one home run).

Whether in the ninth inning or working in a setup capacity, both Puk and Martinez will be in high-leverage roles this season. They were two of the D-backs’ top five arms in terms of their average leverage index — but not the top two. Paul Sewald’s departure in free agency subtracted one of Arizona’s top leverage arms, but it was actually righty Ryan Thompson who found himself most frequently in high-leverage spots, followed by Martinez and then by fellow righty Kevin Ginkel.

The 32-year-old Thompson isn’t the prototypical power arm often associated with pressure-packed, late-inning situations. He’s a sidearming righty who averages just 91 mph on his sinker and 92.5 mph on his lesser-used four-seamer. Thompson’s 19.1% strikeout rate was well below the 23.4% league average among relievers. However, he boasts a 61% grounder rate, rarely issues walks (5.5%) and posted nearly identical results versus righties (.254/.299/.377) and lefties (.254/.293/.377). He picked up two saves and 24 holds.

Ginkel, 30, has quietly emerged as a key arm in Phoenix. He was never a top prospect and didn’t truly establish himself as a reliable reliever until his age-28 season, in 2022. Over the past three seasons, he’s tossed 164 2/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA. It’s not necessarily flashy, as Ginkel is more good-than-great in terms of strikeout rate (26.5%), walk rate (7.3%), swinging-strike rate (12.5%), ground-ball rate (47.1%) and fastball velocity (96 mph average) in that time. Even with the lack of one standout area in which he truly excels, his above-average rates across the board have made him a consistent and reliable late-inning option for manager Torey Lovullo.

Also entering the mix is 34-year-old Kendall Graveman, who signed a one-year, $1.35MM deal after missing the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery. With 24 saves and 56 holds from 2020-23, Graveman is no stranger to late-inning work. After moving to the bullpen in Sept. 2020 with the Mariners, Graveman rattled off 197 1/3 innings with a 2.78 ERA, 24% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and 49.2% grounder rate. At his best, Graveman averaged better than 96 mph on his heater and offered a Ginkel-esque blend of above-average strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates while sitting around 96 mph with his main offering. Whether he can return to that form in the wake of last year’s shoulder surgery is an open question.

However it shakes out, the Snakes look to have a solid quintet of arms rounding out the late-inning group at Chase Field. Lefty Joe Mantiply offers a solid middle-inning complement who has picked up around 12 holds per year over the past four seasons. A starter who doesn’t make the rotation (e.g. Jordan Montgomery, Ryne Nelson) could hold down another spot. Bryce Jarvis, Kyle Nelson and non-roster candidates like Shelby Miller, Scott McGough, John Curtiss and Josh Winder (among others) will vie for what’s likely one open spot.

There’s enough left on both the trade and free agent markets that it’s not impossible to envision a change still impacting Lovullo’s bullpen composition. Signing Robertson might be too pricey, likely pushing the D-backs into $200MM+ payroll territory for the first time, but if GM Mike Hazen ultimately finds a trade partner for Montgomery, any savings could make Robertson feel likelier. The Padres have been open to offers on Robert Suarez. Trading within the division probably isn’t either team’s first choice, though. A Ryan Helsley trade before next offseason feels virtually inevitable but also seems likelier to happen in-season at this point.

In any bullpen, there’s almost always room for one more addition. But, if this is the group the D-backs take into the season, they can still feel good about an impressive breadth of experienced late-inning arms who have the makings of a strong overall unit.

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