The Diamondbacks and Marlins lined up with a full slate of familiar names on both sides, but the bigger wrinkle for Arizona came off the field: the club had to juggle its pitching mix again, and that meant making room in a way that was a little surprising.
Arizona’s active roster sits at 28, with the 40-man roster at 40, and the latest move points to a bullpen shift that could run the rest of the way. Brandon Pfaadt?
No - the note here is about Nelson, who now appears set to work out of the bullpen alongside Zac Gallen after not logging enough length in his rehab outings to return as a starter. Nelson has been used only as a starter in 15 appearances this season, but he does have relief experience, including 10 bullpen outings last year.
The numbers in that role are eye-catching: a 2.82 ERA over 44.2 innings, compared with 4.43 across 93 starts. His starts this year were even higher at 4.97.
The corresponding move was Derek Law, and that one comes with some real roster churn baked in. Law hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2024 because of injury, opened the year on the Injured List, then went through a couple of rehab appearances and another IL stint before landing with the Reno Aces in August.
Arizona brought him up quickly after that, and he made his first big-league appearance on August 29. He was charged with a run in that debut, but then put together 7.2 scoreless innings over six outings.
Still, with no minor-league options left and free agency coming at season’s end, the team decided the numbers no longer worked in his favor.
On the field, the Diamondbacks’ lineup featured Lars Nootbaar leading off in left, followed by Ketel Marte at second, Gabriel Moreno behind the plate, Geraldo Perdomo at short, Corbin Carroll in right, Nolan Arenado at third, Jesus Sanchez at DH, Pavin Smith at first, and Tim Tawa in center. The Marlins countered with Kyle Stowers at first, Heriberto Hernandez in left, Otto Lopez at short, Griffin Conine at DH, Javier Sanoja at third, Jakob Marsee in center, Xavier Edwards at second, Joe Mack at catcher, and Esteury Ruiz in right, with Ryan Gusto on the mound against Merrill Kelly.
And for Arizona, the night carried one more simple instruction: check back later and hope for a series win before tomorrow’s off-day.
In Other News...
Diamondbacks Suddenly Have A Bigger Nolan Arenado Concern
Nolan Arenados latest thumb issue is the kind of development that tends to make a club pause, even when the initial update sounds mild. He left the game against the Miami Marlins with right thumb inflammation and was replaced in the seventh inning, a reminder that this is not the first time the injury has interrupted his availability.
Torey Lovullo said Arenado is expected back in the lineup the next day, but the broader concern for Arizona is whether the thumb becomes a lingering problem again. Arenado had already missed time with the same issue, and for a Diamondbacks offense that wants to keep rolling, any uncertainty around one of its key bats is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Waste Another Winnable Game As Familiar Frustration Grows
Another winnable night slipped away for Arizona in Miami, this one with Merrill Kelly trying to steady things after a rough start and eventually working into the fifth inning with nine strikeouts. The bullpen did its part by covering 4.1 scoreless innings, and the offense at least flashed enough pop with three solo home runs to stay in the game.
What the Diamondbacks could not find was the timely hit to turn those long balls into something more meaningful, leaving them empty when runners reached scoring position. It fit the same uneasy pattern that has followed them through the series, with the starting pitching and the run production not lining up often enough to back up a team that keeps putting itself in position to win but keeps walking away with regrets. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Turn To New Bat As Wild Card Pressure Builds
With the Wild Card race tightening, the Diamondbacks moved to add some much-needed balance to their lineup by claiming outfielder Jesus Sanchez off waivers from the Blue Jays. Arizonas interest is straightforward: Sanchez hits left-handed and has given them a better-looking option against right-handed pitching, which has been a clear area to address as the seasons final stretch gets more demanding.
Sanchez brings a .769 OPS against right-handers this season, and the Diamondbacks are expected to slot him into upcoming games when the matchup calls for it. The catch is that he will not be eligible for the postseason roster because of the timing of the waiver claim, so this is a move aimed at helping Arizona win now while leaving the October question unresolved. [Read more 🡒]