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Corbin Burnes Placed On IL, Still Being Evaluated Due To Elbow Discomfort

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June 3: Results on Burnes’ first wave of imaging were inconclusive, reports John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. He’ll seek further testing and opinions to determine the severity of his elbow issue, and the club will have more information on his status later in the week. Per Jody Jackson of Arizona Sports, the further testing will include a visit to Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. As expected, Burnes was officially placed on the 15-day IL today with lefty Tommy Henry recalled as the corresponding move. Per Gambadoro, Nelson will return to the rotation with Henry to the bullpen.

June 1: Corbin Burnes made an early exit from the Diamondbacks’ 3-1 win over the Nationals due to what was described by manager Torey Lovullo as right elbow discomfort.  The right-hander had sailed through 4 2/3 shutout innings before allowing a two-out single to CJ Abrams in the top of the fifth, and a clearly upset Burnes then immediately motioned to the home dugout for a quick consultation with team trainers.

Post-game, Lovullo told reporters (including Arizona Sports) that Burnes will get an MRI tomorrow, and won’t join the Diamondbacks on their upcoming road trip to Atlanta and Cincinnati.  The pitcher himself also described his health situation to the media, saying his elbow started to gradually tighten up during the outing.

“It just got to the point where the tightness was just too much…didn’t feel like we needed to push any farther.  Hopefully we caught it early, hopefully it’s not bad, but we’ll see,” Burnes said.

More details will be known in the aftermath of the MRI, though it seems like Burnes will probably be placed on the 15-day injured list at least as a precaution.  This would be the first arm-related IL stint of Burnes’ durable career, as his two previous IL trips were due to Covid-19 (in 2021) and an oblique strain late in the 2020 season that kept him out of the Brewers’ brief playoff run.

After signing a six-year, $210MM free agent deal with his local team this past offseason, Burnes has mostly looked the part of a frontline ace in posting a 2.66 ERA over 64 1/3 innings.  However, his secondary metrics tell another story, as Burnes entered today’s start with a more modest 3.99 SIERA.  Burnes’ hard-hit ball rate and walk rate are both well below the league average, let alone the strong numbers in both categories that Burnes had posted over his previous seven Major League seasons.  Burnes’ whiff rate remains above the league average but also down from his 2024 total.

The right-hander’s signature cutter has been among the best pitches in baseball over the last few years, but Statcast’s Run Value metric indicates that the cutter has gone from a +17 in 2024 to only a +2 in 2025 since batters have been able to square up on the pitch with far more regularity.  Both Burnes’ cutter (95.3mph to 94.2mph) and his sinker (97mph to 95.6mph) have lost some velocity from last season to this campaign.

Even with these red flags, the bottom-line results have still been there for Burnes, and he has still been the most consistent member of Arizona’s underwhelming rotation.  MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently explored how the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff is again struggling, and undermining the efforts of the team’s powerful lineup.  Today’s win bumped the Snakes up to only a 28-31 record, and they are five games behind the Giants for both third place in the NL West and the final NL wild card slot.

Losing Burnes even for a fairly minimal amount of time would severely hamper the Diamondbacks’ chances of making up that ground, let alone making a late run at the Dodgers at the top of the division.  Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to return from the 15-day IL this coming week after a mid-May placement due to shoulder inflammation, but if Burnes is also sidelined, Ryne Nelson (who was headed to the bullpen due to E-Rod’s return) will likely be reinserted back into the starting five.

The Diamondbacks’ Surprisingly Middling Rotation

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Few teams have more aggressively added veteran rotation help over the past two years than the Diamondbacks. As shown on MLBTR's Contract Tracker, 15 free agent starting pitchers have signed for at least a $20MM average annual value since the start of the 2023-24 offseason. The D-Backs have been responsible for three of them.

If we exclude Shohei Ohtani, who was obviously signed more for his bat,  Arizona is the only team to sign three such contracts over the past two winters. The Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell) are the only other club that has signed more than one.

Arizona began with a four-year, $80MM contract for Eduardo Rodriguez. That was a sizable investment for their market size but not one that took too many people by surprise. They finally snapped Jordan Montgomery's extended free agent stay with a one-year, $25MM guarantee and an easily achievable vesting option that pushed their investment close to $50MM over two seasons.

The true shocker came last winter, when they emerged out of nowhere as the landing spot for Corbin Burnes, who wanted to pitch close to his Arizona home. He probably left some earnings upside on the table, but it still took a six-year commitment worth $210MM (with a net present value closer to $194MM after adjusting for deferred money).

They've added those big-name arms to an in-house starting pitching group that included Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt. Maybe they didn't match the depth of some other clubs, but their top six to seven starters look exceptionally formidable. This should be one of the best rotations in MLB.

And yet, for two years running, it hasn't been particularly close to that.

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Diamondbacks Place Eduardo Rodríguez On IL With Shoulder Inflammation

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The Diamondbacks announced today that left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 15th, with left shoulder inflammation. Lefty Joe Mantiply has also been optioned to Triple-A Reno. To take those two spots, the club has recalled right-hander Scott McGough and selected the contract of righty Christian Montes De Oca. The 40-man roster had two vacancies due to Garrett Hampson and José Castillo being designated for assignment earlier this week. Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, righty Ryne Nelson will take E-Rod’s rotation spot, taking the ball on Tuesday.

There haven’t been a lot of publicly reported details about Rodríguez or his injury, but it’s possible he was feeling it last time out. He started on Wednesday against the Giants but wasn’t very effective. He allowed four earned runs in four innings and was pulled after throwing just 76 pitches. The velocity on most of his offerings was down about one mile per hour relative to his previous start. Perhaps the club will provide more information but it seems the lefty will need to miss at least a couple of starts.

That will give Nelson a chance to retake a rotation spot, at least for now. He logged 150 2/3 innings for the Snakes last year, mostly as a starter. He had a 4.24 earned run average, 20% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate.

Despite those strong numbers, he got pushed down the depth chart when the Snakes signed Corbin Burnes in the offseason. Burnes joined a rotation group next to Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Jordan Montgomery and Rodríguez. Montgomery required Tommy John surgery in March, but Nelson was still unable to get a rotation job.

He opened the year in a long relief role and has thrown 26 1/3 innings with a 5.13 ERA, but better peripherals. He has struck out 25% of batters faced while giving out walks at an 8.9% clip. A low 62.5% strand rate is not doing him favors, perhaps why his FIP is 3.71 and his SIERA at 3.45.

Kelly, Gallen and Montgomery are all free agents at the end of this year, while Burnes has an opt-out after 2026. Nelson is under club control through 2028 and could perhaps earn a long-term rotation spot with some strong results this year. Though if Rodríguez returns in relatively short order, it’s possible Nelson finds himself back in the bullpen again.

Montes De Oca, 25, gets the call to the big leagues for the first time. An international amateur signing out of the Dominican Republic, he has 181 1/3 minor league innings under his belt to this point in his career. In that time, he has a 4.17 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate and 8.2% walk rate. He’s out to a good start this year, despite pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. In 19 Triple-A innings, he has a 2.37 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, 5.5% walk rate and 57.7% ground ball rate.

Photo courtesy of D. Ross Cameron, Imagn Images

D-backs Sticking To Five-Man Rotation

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The Diamondbacks’ surprise signing of Corbin Burnes further crowded a rotation that had at least six starters in the mix. While there’s been talk of a possible six-man rotation in Arizona since that Burnes deal, manager Torey Lovullo said at D-backs camp this week that team is not considering that at this point (link via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic).

That leaves the Diamondbacks with seven starters for five spots: Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Jordan Montgomery and Ryne Nelson. The first four are largely locked into place. Burnes and Gallen are Cy Young-caliber arms when healthy. Kelly has been a steady midrotation arm for the Snakes since signing out of the KBO in the 2018-19 offseason. Rodriguez’s first year in Arizona was marred by injury, but he’s signed three more years and has a lengthy track record.

Montgomery’s status in Arizona has been a talking point throughout the winter. The Diamondbacks signed him to a one-year, $25MM contract with a vesting $20MM player option for the 2025 season. The left-hander pitched enough to trigger that option but nowhere near well enough to decline it in favor of a return to the open market. Signing just days before Opening Day last season, Montgomery missed spring training, rushed through an accelerated ramp-up in Triple-A and never appeared to be himself. He pitched 117 innings but was rocked for a 6.23 earned run average with career-worst walk and strikeout rates.

D-backs owner Ken Kendrick called Montgomery’s performance out late in the season, publicly lamenting the role that he’d played in bringing the left-hander to his organization. “I brought it to (the front office’s) attention. I pushed for it,” Kendrick said in September. “They agreed to it. It wasn’t in our game plan. … And looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did.”

Pfaadt, 26, would give the D-backs an upside arm at the back of the staff. The former top prospect hasn’t yet found his stride over a full big league season but has shown glimpses of the potential that made him so well regarded. He looked to have found his stride last year, logging a 3.98 ERA, 23% strikeout rate and 4.9% walk rate through his first 24 starts, but Pfaadt was hit hard in late August and for much of September. He mixed in one late-season gem — seven innings, one run, 12 strikeouts in Milwaukee — but even with that showing still posted an ERA north of 7.00 over his final eight starts. He finished the year at a 4.71 mark but did pile up 181 2/3 innings.

Nelson, who turned 27 in December, made 27 appearances this past season — 25 of them starts — and recorded 150 2/3 innings of 4.24 ERA ball. His 20% strikeout rate and 8.4% swinging-strike rate were below average (well below, with regard to the latter), but Nelson’s 5.4% walk rate was outstanding.

There are other options on the 40-man roster, but they’re likely to be viewed as depth candidates, barring a spring breakout. Yilber Diaz, Cristian Mena, Tommy Henry and Blake Walston are all on the 40-man roster and have all made their big league debuts, but they’d likely only be called upon in the event of multiple injuries — at least with the current roster construction.

Kendrick’s comments on Montgomery led to plenty of speculation about a potential trade of this winter, but no such deal has come to fruition. It’s still possible the D-backs could find a taker for a portion of the contract or swap him out for a comparably priced veteran on an underwater deal (e.g. Rhys Hoskins, Starling Marte), but for now, Montgomery will get a full spring buildup and look to bounce back from a dismal 2024 season.

If the D-backs can find some kind of trade that sheds a portion of the Montgomery money, any savings could be reallocated to other needs. Most notably, they’ve been in the market for a closer throughout the winter but have yet to add an established ninth-inning arm. Arizona’s payroll is projected for a franchise-record $195MM, per RosterResource. It’s not clear whether Kendrick is willing to push things further after already ponying up to sign Burnes (six years, $210MM), acquire Josh Naylor in a trade (one year, $10.9MM) and re-sign Randal Grichuk (one year, $5MM). Barring the signing of a veteran like David Robertson or Kyle Finnegan, the D-backs will look inward and lean on A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel as their top late-inning arms.

Diamondbacks Not Close To Any Pitching Trades

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The Diamondbacks’ surprise signing of Corbin Burnes added a new frontline arm to a rotation that was already operating at a surplus on paper.  Burnes joins Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson, giving the Snakes an enviably deep group of starting pitchers.  The D’backs had already been drawing trade interest in this group even before Burnes was added, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the Burnes signing wasn’t made with any other pitching swaps immediately on the horizon.

According to Piecoro, no “other deals [are] lined up or even close” involving Arizona’s pitchers, as the Diamondbacks will continue to take a measured view of the market.  A source tells Piecoro that the D’Backs will likely “spend the coming days fielding calls from teams still in the hunt for starters, including those that were in on Burnes.”  The D’Backs aren’t in any particular rush to complete a trade any time soon, as having more than a full rotation in place before New Year’s Eve gives the club plenty of time to figure out the best possible offer.

It also isn’t entirely out of the question that the Diamondbacks stand pat on their starters, especially if an injury emerges to a starter during their offseason training, or during Spring Training.  Kelly, Rodriguez, and Montgomery all missed significant time with injuries last season, so there is obvious value in having extra pitchers on hand should any more health issues create openings in the rotation.  Operating with a six-man rotation is also a possibility, in order to keep everyone healthy and fresh for what the D’Backs hope can be an extended run through the playoffs.

Given how the Burnes deal reportedly came together just within the last week when Burnes himself approached the D’Backs, it isn’t surprising that the signing wasn’t part of an immediate plan to re-model the pitching staff.  Such two-step transactions are usually hard to pull off, though the Diamondbacks were part of such a set of moves from the Guardians just last week — Arizona acquired Josh Naylor from the Guards, and Cleveland then signed Carlos Santana that same day to immediately fill Naylor’s spot as the everyday first baseman.

The fact that Burnes signed with a team that was seemingly already set for starting pitching gives GM Mike Hazen even more leverage in shopping his hurlers.  Such known Burnes suitors like the Orioles, Blue Jays, or Giants are still in need of pitching, to say nothing of the many other starter-needy clubs on the market that weren’t willing or able to meet Burnes’ asking price.

Nothing seems to have changed in terms of which starters are most prominently on Arizona’s trade block.  Gallen and Kelly are both free agents next winter but don’t seem likely to be dealt, as a team source told Piecoro that the team’s focus in on “trying to put the best team on the field in 2025.”  Nelson is controlled through the 2027 season and Pfaadt through the 2029 season, so the Diamondbacks would probably only move either if a longer-term asset (likely a position player) could be obtained in return.  The D’Backs might not mind moving the $66MM remaining on Rodriguez’s contract, but the club would certainly have to sell low and eat some of that money in the wake of E-Rod’s injury-plagued down year.

That leaves Montgomery as still the chief candidate to be dealt before Opening Day.  Montgomery’s trade value is also at a low ebb after his rough first year in Arizona, and his $22.5MM salary for the 2025 season.  Owner Ken Kendrick’s public criticism of Montgomery following the season only increased the probability that the left-hander would be pitching elsewhere next year, yet again, the Burnes signing gives the D’Backs some flexibility in this regard.  The Diamondbacks technically don’t have to trade Montgomery if an acceptable offer for another starter comes their way, and offers for Montgomery might improve if other teams become increasingly desperate to add pitching.

Diamondbacks’ Starters Drawing Trade Interest

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As free agent starters begin to find new homes — Blake Snell, Yusei Kikuchi, Frankie Montas, Matthew Boyd and Kyle Hendricks have all signed in the past two weeks — interest in the Diamondbacks’ collection of rotation arms has “started to pick up,” general manager Mike Hazen tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The D-backs have at least six starters on the roster at present: Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery.

Of the six, Montgomery is the most obvious trade candidate, following a rough 2024 showing and owner Ken Kendrick’s public, verbal thrashing of the player. In October, Kendrick openly lamented ever pushing his front office to sign Montgomery late in the 2023-24 offseason, calling it a “horrible decision to have invested that money in a guy that performed as poorly as he did” and “our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint.” Montgomery unsurprisingly exercised a $22.5MM player option even after being called out by Kendrick — a straightforward decision for a pitcher coming off an injury-shortened year with career-worst marks in ERA (6.23), strikeout rate (15.6%) and walk rate (8.3%).

For all the focus placed on Montgomery’s struggles last year, the other veteran lefty signed by Arizona last offseason also fell well short of expectations. Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80MM pact with the Snakes but was limited to just 10 starts after opening the season on the injured list due to a shoulder strain. He pitched 50 innings of 5.04 ERA ball while showing diminished life on his four-seamer and sinker. Rodriguez is owed $20MM for the coming season, $21MM in 2026 and $19MM in 2027. He’s also guaranteed a $6MM buyout on a $17MM mutual option for the 2028 season — an option that could automatically vest based on his innings tallies in 2026-27. While Montgomery’s contract is underwater, the three years and $66MM remaining on Rodriguez’s pact very likely make him even harder to unload.

Any of  the other four arms in Arizona’s rotation would be hard to pry loose. Ace Zac Gallen is a Cy Young contender when healthy, evidenced by fifth- and third-place finishes in 2022 and 2023 balloting. He missed about a month of action with a hamstring strain in 2024 and flashed worse command than usual (relative to his excellent standards, anyhow), but any team would love to have the right-hander. He’s projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $14.1MM in his final season of club control before becoming a free agent next winter. Gallen is not being shopped, to be clear. Hazen even chuckled at the mere notion of Gallen being a prominent trade candidate in a mid-November appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7’s Wolf & Luke Show (2:35 mark). That’s unlikely to stop other teams from trying.

Kelly, like Gallen, is a free agent next offseason. He missed more than three months in 2024 with a shoulder strain but was generally effective when healthy, logging a 4.03 ERA with a slightly below-average 21% strikeout rate and a strong 6.3% walk rate. Arizona made an easy call to exercise a $7MM club option on Kelly for the upcoming season.

Nelson and Pfaadt are both controllable and thus quite valuable to the Snakes. The 26-year-old Nelson is under club control for four more seasons and just tossed 150 2/3 innings with a 4.24 ERA, 20% strikeout rate and outstanding 5.4% walk rate in 2024. Those numbers are skewed by a slow start, but from July onward, Nelson posted a 3.05 ERA, 24.8 K% and 5.0 BB% in 82 2/3 frames. He’s not yet eligible for arbitration.

Pfaadt, also 26, paced the D-backs with 181 2/3 innings and 32 starts. His 4.71 ERA doesn’t stand out, but his 24.3% strikeout rate, 5.5% walk rate, 3.61 FIP and 3.65 SIERA are all far more encouraging. He might’ve worn down a bit late in the season as he pushed through that new career-high workload, as his worst months were August and September. A disproportionate amount of the damage against Pfaadt this season came in one nightmare September outing, wherein the Brewers tagged him for eight runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Lopping off even that one start would cause his season-long ERA to drop by nearly 40 points. Regardless, the former top prospect is a 2025 breakout candidate when considering his pedigree and rate stats that far outpace his pedestrian earned run average. Of the arms on the big league staff, he’s probably the most difficult for another team to acquire.

There’s depth even beyond that sextet. Right-hander Drey Jameson will be back from 2023 Tommy John surgery next year. He’s already had some big league success. There are another five starters on the 40-man roster and likely ticketed for Triple-A, all of whom have minor league options remaining and at least a bit of MLB experience: Yilber Diaz, Slade Cecconi, Blake Walston, Cristian Mena and Tommy Henry. Few organizations boast a stockpile of arms so deep.

All of that is to say — it’s hardly a surprise that clubs are calling the D-backs about their starters. The same is true of their outfielders, as Hazen already acknowledged a couple weeks back. Piecoro writes that (naturally) Montgomery is both the likeliest to move and the pitcher whom the team would most strongly prefer to deal. Hazen stated that Kendrick’s comments regarding the left-hander have “zero” impact on the urgency to trade him, though there’s likely some public-facing lip service at play there.

Piecoro adds that the D-backs would be willing to take on another contract of some note in return for Montgomery (if said player filled a roster need) or perhaps pursue more of a traditional salary dump, where they shed as much of the contract as possible for little to no return. Of note, Hazen suggested that if he’s to ultimately move Montgomery in deal that is primarily rooted in salary relief, the trade would need to come together before the bulk of quality free agents come off the board: “At some point, it doesn’t make sense because your pivot moves are picking at the edges rather than getting somebody (who is more of a target).”

Diamondbacks Activate Ryne Nelson, Recall Alek Thomas

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The D-Backs made a handful of moves on tonight’s off day. Arizona activated Ryne Nelson from the 15-day injured list and recalled outfielder Alek Thomas from Triple-A Reno. The Snakes optioned Yilber Diaz and Blake Walston to open spots on the active roster.

Nelson’s return is the biggest development. The right-hander has had a strong second half, working to a 3.39 ERA while striking out more than 27% of opponents since the All-Star Break. Nelson outpitched Jordan Montgomery to solidify his rotation spot. He held that job until the middle of September, when a bout of shoulder inflammation sent him to the injured list.

That temporarily drew Montgomery back into the starting five. Arizona could use both Nelson and Montgomery out of the bullpen this weekend. The D-Backs will start Merrill Kelly tomorrow to kick off their weekend series with the Padres. They haven’t announced starters for their final two games. Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt would be on schedule. They’re the third and fourth starters on paper, although Nelson had been handily outperforming both in the weeks leading to his IL placement. Zac Gallen tossed 97 pitches over six innings against the Giants yesterday. He’s potentially an option for Sunday on three days rest if the D-Backs are playing a must-win game.

Thomas returns to the outfield mix as a speed and defense option off the bench. The D-Backs optioned him to Triple-A in the middle of August. He suffered an injury within a week and was out of action until September 17. Thomas has only appeared in 37 MLB contests this year. He’s hitting .191/.248/.362 across 102 plate appearances. Jake McCarthy has surpassed him as the primary center fielder.

At 88-71, the Diamondbacks currently hold the final Wild Card spot. They’re percentage points behind the #5 seed Mets. Arizona is technically one game up on the 86-71 Braves, but the teams have an equal number of losses with Atlanta holding the tiebreaker. If the Braves were to win out, they’d leapfrog the D-Backs.

Atlanta’s final two games — scheduled for next Monday after this week’s hurricane-related postponements — are against the Mets. That means the Diamondbacks control their destiny. If Arizona wins out, they’d hang onto the sixth seed over the Mets even if the Braves passed them by also finishing 91-71.

There’s a lot at play. The Atlanta-New York postponement means there’s a good chance the D-Backs won’t know their fate until Monday, even though Arizona’s regular season ends on Sunday. The Mets are headed to Milwaukee this weekend, while the Braves host a Royals team that only needs one win (or a Twins loss) to punch its ticket to October.

Diamondbacks Notes: Kelly, Nelson

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The Diamondbacks suffered an injury scare during their game against the Brewers this evening when right-hander Merrill Kelly walked off the mound after five innings due to what Arizona brass later indicated was a bout of cramping in his right calf.

As noted by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, that’s the second time in three starts that Kelly has exited early due to a cramping issue, after he departed his start on the 11th after just four innings due to cramping in his right hamstring. Cramping doesn’t seem to be an immediately concerning injury for the 35-year-old veteran to be suffering from but the fact that Kelly has had two starts cut short due to the issue, both of which involved his lower right leg, in such short order is somewhat worrisome for a Diamondbacks club that both has its eyes on a second consecutive postseason run and has not yet clinched its spot in the playoffs.

After an excellent 2023 season where he pitched to a 3.29 ERA and 3.85 FIP in 30 regular season starts before dominating with a 2.25 ERA in four starts during the club’s pennant-winning playoff run, Kelly got off to a similarly strong start early this year with a 2.19 ERA and 3.78 FIP through the middle of April, but was promptly sidelined by a teres major strain that wound up keeping him on the shelf for the majority of the season. The right-hander finally returned to action last month but hasn’t been nearly as successful since returning from injury.

In seven starts spanning 38 1/3 innings of work prior to tonight’s game, Kelly has surrendered a 5.17 ERA with a 5.44 FIP while striking out just 17% of opponents. That’s a worrisome dip for a pitcher who punched out more than a quarter of batters faced just last year, and it’s further exacerbated by Kelly’s sudden penchant for the long ball; prior to tonight’s shortened scoreless outing, Kelly had surrendered eight home runs since returning from the IL. Only six qualified starters have surrendered more homers in that time. Tonight’s five innings of shutout baseball seemed to represent a step in the right direction for Kelly with the postseason just over the horizon, so long as he remains healthy enough to pitch.

With Zac Gallen sure to front the club’s playoff rotation, an injury to Kelly that prevents him from starting postseason games for Arizona would seemingly line lefty Eduardo Rodriguez and youngster Brandon Pfaadt up to start behind Gallen in the playoffs, though (much like Kelly) Rodriguez has struggled since coming off the IL last month while Pfaadt has a 7.58 ERA in September. Both pitchers seem more likely to start playoff games for the Diamondbacks than lefty Jordan Montgomery, who has struggled to a 6.23 ERA and 4.59 FIP since he signed with the club back in March and was demoted to the bullpen late last month.

Fortunately, the club could have another option. As noted by MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, the club remains optimistic that right-hander Ryne Nelson will be able to return from the injured list prior to the end of the season next week. The righty was placed on the shelf last weekend due to shoulder inflammation but was scheduled to throw a bullpen session today and is first eligible to return to action on September 26. The 26-year-old has impressed in his second season as a regular starter for Arizona, with a roughly league average 4.33 ERA and a stronger 3.76 FIP in 147 2/3 innings of work this year. Should Nelson return from the injured list next week as expected, he’ll be able to join the club’s postseason rotation and give the Diamondbacks some flexibility if Kelly’s exit this evening proves serious.

Diamondbacks DFA Andrew Knizner, Place Ryne Nelson On 15-Day IL

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The Diamondbacks announced this afternoon that they’ve placed right-hander Ryne Nelson on the 15-day IL due to shoulder inflammation, retroactive to September 11. Left-hander Brandon Hughes was selected to the roster from Triple-A Reno to replace Nelson, and catcher Andrew Knizner was designated for assignment to make room for Hughes on the 40-man roster.

Nelson, 26, entered the season seemingly squeezed out of the club’s rotation mix by the club’s signings of lefties Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery over the offseason. That was hardly surprising after a pedestrian 2023 season where he pitched to a below-average 5.31 ERA and 5.07 FIP across 29 appearances (27 starts) for Arizona last year. That said, injuries throughout the club’s rotation have kept Nelson in the club’s rotation almost all year. He’s made the most of the unexpected opportunity and pitched quite well, with a 4.33 ERA that’s roughly league average (96 ERA+) and a strong 3.77 FIP in 147 2/3 innings of work. While that hasn’t necessarily been enough to give him a leg up over fellow youngster Brandon Pfaadt (4.42 ERA, 3.54 FIP) at the back-of-the-rotation, injuries and ineffectiveness have hampered both Rodriguez and especially Montgomery this year, leading the Diamondbacks to kick the latter to the bullpen late last month.

With Nelson now headed to the IL, Montgomery appears ticketed for a return to the rotation as noted by Alex Weiner of AZ Sports. It’s been a disastrous year for the 31-year-old lefty as he pitched to a 6.44 ERA and 4.57 FIP in 19 starts before getting kicked from the rotation, though he’s looked a bit better with a slightly more palatable 4.85 ERA and 4.40 FIP since moving to a multi-inning relief role. For the time being, the Diamondbacks will have to hope that the brief sojourn to the bullpen has helped Montgomery figure things out enough to pitch effectively as a starter for the time being. Fortunately, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic) that the club is optimistic regarding Nelson’s injury and hopes he’ll be able to return after a minimum stay on the shelf, which could allow him to make one more start before the regular season comes to an end.

Montgomery’s impending move back into the rotation leaves the club down a lefty in the bullpen, and that’s a call that Hughes now figures to answer. Drafted as an outfielder by the Cubs in the 16th round of the 2017 draft, Hughes converted to pitching back in 2019 and worked his way through Chicago’s minor league system to make it to Wrigley Field in 2022. The southpaw impressed with a 3.12 ERA and 4.64 FIP with a 28.5% strikeout rate in 57 2/3 innings of work for the rebuilding Cubs and even picked up eight saves after taking over the closer role in Chicago following the departures of David Robertson and Chris Martin at that year’s trade deadline.

Unfortunately, Hughes was hampered by knee surgery that cost him the majority of the 2023 season and found himself non-tendered by the Cubs last fall. That led him to sign with the Snakes on a minor league deal, but he’s struggled badly in limited opportunities in the majors with the club this year as he’s posted a 10.29 ERA and 9.96 FIP in 14 innings of work. That being said, his numbers with Triple-A Reno this year have been nothing short of excellent as he’s posted a 2.03 ERA and struck out 24.9% of opponents in 48 2/3 innings of work. Now he’ll get another opportunity in the Arizona bullpen alongside fellow lefties Joe Mantiply and A.J. Puk.

Hughes will take the 40-man roster spot of Knizner, who the Diamondbacks claimed off waivers from the Rangers just over a month ago. The 29-year-old backstop didn’t make it to the big leagues with Arizona, instead slashing a decent .274/.357/.397 in 20 games with the club’s affiliate in Reno, but appeared in 35 games in the majors with Texas earlier this year after spending half a decade as an up-and-down catcher for the Cardinals. His time with the Rangers did not go particularly well, as he hit just .167/.183/.211 in 93 trips to the plate. That paltry offensive production was particularly disappointing following the best offensive season of Knizner’s career last year, when he pitched to a .241/.288/.424 slash line with ten homers in just 241 trips to the plate. Should Knizner go unclaimed on waivers, the club would have the opportunity to outright him to the minor leagues but he’d be poised to head into minor league free agency this November.

D-Backs Move Jordan Montgomery To Bullpen

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The Diamondbacks are kicking Jordan Montgomery to the bullpen. Manager Torey Lovullo announced the decision on The Burns & Gambo Show this afternoon (link via Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports).

Lovullo said he informed Montgomery of the decision today. Righty Ryne Nelson has outpitched Montgomery in recent weeks, earning the fifth starter job in the process. Nelson, who is on the mound tonight at Fenway Park, carried an ERA approaching 5.00 into the All-Star Break. He has completely flipped the script over the past month, turning in a 2.89 mark while striking out 29% of opposing hitters in 37 1/3 frames. Nelson remains behind Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt in the starting five.

On the other hand, Montgomery has struggled for essentially the entire season. He owns a 6.44 ERA with a well below-average 15.5% strikeout rate over 19 starts. Montgomery got a late start to the year after not signing until Opening Day. Unlike Blake Snell, who had an atrocious start as a late signee before recapturing his Cy Young form, Montgomery has not found any success as the year has gone on. He’s allowing 6.44 earned runs per nine in both the first and second half. Opponents are hitting over .300 while slugging north of .500.

Montgomery has averaged around 92 MPH on his sinker and four-seam fastball. Both pitches sat above 93 a year ago. Aside from a decent 11.9% swinging strike rate that is in line with his career average, there’s little in this year’s statistical profile that offers much hope for a turnaround. Montgomery had an excellent track record coming into this season, but the D-Backs have five starters who are performing better as they battle for a playoff spot. They’re four games back of the Dodgers in the NL West and hold a five-game edge on a Wild Card berth.

This will be Montgomery’s first bullpen work in his career. He has started 159 of his 160 MLB games. The relief appearance was in September 2019 when he’d returned from Tommy John surgery without the benefit of a lengthy minor league rehab assignment. He’ll presumably work as a multi-inning reliever. If the D-Backs make the playoffs, Lovullo and his staff might have a difficult decision on whether to carry him on the postseason roster at all.

That’d have been hard to fathom just a few months ago. Arizona signed Montgomery as an expected high-floor rotation pickup when Rodriguez suffered a lat strain in camp. He’s playing on a $25MM salary. He started 10 games and unlocked an accompanying $20MM player option for next year. That escalated to $22.5MM when he made his 18th start; he’d have pushed it to $25MM if he reached 23 starts, though that no longer seems likely. In any case, he’ll almost certainly exercise the option rather than returning to free agency next winter.

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