Diamondbacks
The Always Changing Arizona Diamondbacks Bullpen
The always-changing Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen. They could decide if the team makes the playoffs.
The always-changing Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen for 2026 has already seen an early change. Veteran Joe Ross, was signed for his experience and depth, did not last long. In 3.2 innings Ross allowed eight runs and he was designated for assignment. Taylor Rashi was recalled from Triple-A Reno to take his place.
Record Setting 2025
17 different relief pitchers recorded at least one save in 2025. That led to an MLB record. They want to avoid that for 2026. That is the reason why a considerable number of pitchers were brought in. They were all looked at to compete for bullpen spots. Sorting through all of them during camp was no easy task for Manager Torey Lovullo or his pitching coaches.
Injuries Force Open Spots
Injuries from last season and early in February 2026 created some open spots. Justin Martinez is on the 60-day IL recovering from his elbow injury. He is out until at least late July or early August. Left-handed specialist A.J. Puk is also on the 60-day IL from his 2025 injury. Reports are that he will be back in mid-June. Then, this past February, Andrew Saalfrank suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out for the entire season.
Competition
There were four spots open for competition among 14 pitchers. Some of those included non-roster invites and minor league arms. Pitchers who saw the most action during Spring Training were Juan Burgos, Isiah Campbell, Brandyn Garcia, Andrew Hoffmann, Grant Holman, Drey Jameson, Juan Morillo, Taylor Rashi, and Kade Strowd.
There Were Locks
Four pitchers were locks to make the Opening Day roster. Taylor Clarke, signed a contract in January. He returns to the organization that drafted him in 2015. Kevin Ginkel, and Ryan Thompson, were already penciled in. Then, another former Diamondbacks closer came back when Paul Sewald signed a one-year deal.
Jonathan Loáisiga
One other pitcher who had an excellent camp was Jonathan Loáisiga. After spending eight seasons with the New York Yankees, he signed a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. A confident and skilled arm with a career 55% ground ball rate. He brings an upper-90s mph sinker and change up that drew a 36% miss rate according to Statcast. He quickly earned a roster spot with the Diamondbacks.
Pleasant Surprise
The always-changing Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen saw two other surprises in camp. Andrew Hoffmann and Juan Morillo both wanted to put their inconsistent 2025 season behind them and were ready for camp. Both pitched well, looked confident, and were consistent in finding the strike zone throughout camp. After Spring Training ended, they mutually earned spots on the Big-League Roster.
Unfortunate
Kade Strowd was traded for Blaze Alexander. An outstanding performance last September for the Baltimore Orioles, he was seen as a valuable setup man. The Diamondbacks also thought he could close some games. A dismal 10.57 ERA in 7.2 innings, he was optioned to Triple-A Reno. The coaches there will help him work on his approach and line of attack with the hitters.
No Left-Handers
To begin the 2026 season, the team has no left-handed bullpen arms. Brandyn Garcia the final left-hander, was optioned following inconsistency with throwing strikes. If he pitches well for the Reno Aces, he could be called up soon. Lovullo expressed comfort with not having any and trusts his right-handed options to handle opposing left-handed hitters.
It’s Early
It’s early, but we will see a revolving door of bullpen arms all season. When Clarke was hit hard on Opening Day, he bounced back and pitched well in his next two appearances. Ginkel has started off slow and he could be forced out of high-pressure situations. Sewald looked good in two straight save situations. But then surrendered back-to-back home runs in a loss this past Friday.
Cannot Repeat 2025
The 2025 Arizona Diamondbacks’ bullpen was full of injuries, inconsistency, and uncertainty. All of which led to a bullpen ERA of 4.82 and 29 blown saves. For this team to be competitive, they need reliability from the bullpen arms. They certainly cannot have a repeat of last season.
Starters can help
The starting staff can offer some help by pitching relatively deep into games. That would take a lot of pressure off the bullpen, reducing their workload and preventing over-taxation. So as long as the starters can provide valuable starts, it will limit the number of bullpen arms needed per game. Hopefully, that will keep the bullpen arms active for high-leverage situations.
Effective Bullpen
An effective bullpen can add four to six wins. Last season, the Diamondbacks missed the Wild Card game by three games. Not being consistent could leave them catching up in the standings once again this season. The organization has already faced criticism for not signing an established closer and having no left-handers.
Impact
This season, the team wants a playoff appearance. If the bullpen struggles like it did last season, this team will miss that chance. Only time will tell how many changes the team will make to maintain a consistent, steadfast bullpen this season.
Who knows, all the changes they make could work out and keep them in contention for a playoff spot. However, avoiding injuries and maintaining consistency and uniformity will certainly be beneficial.
Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall has been writing about sports for over 10 years. He started his sports career in radio, co-hosting and producing several sports-talk radio programs in Phoenix. He has covered local, college, and national sports, but specializes in MLB. His articles have appeared in several sports-reporting sites, including our own Legends On Deck. Jim is also a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA).
