The Diamondbacks are giving their bullpen a breather after Zack Littell turned in one of the most economical long relief outings in franchise history. Torey Lovullo didn’t need to push Michael Soroka any further than necessary once the offense jumped out early, and Littell handled the rest without much stress.
The Rockies were swinging early and often, and Arizona benefited from the kind of defense that can make a night feel easy in a hurry. The double plays behind Littell helped, too.
He needed only 45 pitches to record 14 outs, and that marks one of the most efficient extended relief appearances the club has ever seen. To find a better pitches-per-out rate, you have to go back to Mike Koplove in 2005, when he threw 25 pitches for eight outs.
That light workload matters with a road trip coming up. Arizona is off Thursday, which should give Littell enough time to be ready again when the team heads out Friday for a stretch through Atlanta and Boston. With that kind of trip on deck, the Diamondbacks would love to keep the bullpen fresh and available.
The other arm drawing attention is Mitch Bratt, who gets the ball tonight after his last outing was about as sharp as it gets. He threw seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball against the Padres at Chase Field last Wednesday, and the Diamondbacks will be hoping for something similar against a Rockies lineup that has been a little less dangerous, at least on paper. Colorado’s OPS+ sits at 94, just below San Diego’s 95.
Arizona’s lineup also gets Lars Nootbaar back at the top. The numbers so far haven’t matched expectations.
He’s 3-for-20, though he has drawn more walks than strikeouts, with five walks and three strikeouts. He and Max Kepler have been stuck in what looks like a race to the bottom, and that has some Arizona fans already looking ahead to the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Gurriel’s contract isn’t looking especially pretty right now. The $42 million deal he signed covering the 2024-26 seasons has produced just 1.9 total bWAR or fWAR with one-quarter of the season left, and paying him $5 million at the end of the year to move on is starting to look like a no-brainer.
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Diamondbacks May Have A Late Pitching Answer They Desperately Need
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Santanas path back to the majors is still a little murky, though, because Arizona has other pitchers in the mix and little reason to rush a decision. If he keeps sharpening his game, if his opt-out date comes into play, or if injuries create a pressing need, he could force the issue. For now, the Diamondbacks are treating him as a possible answer rather than a guaranteed one, which makes the next stretch of his stint in the system worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Are Close To A Bullpen Boost They Desperately Need
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For a bullpen that has needed help, Martinezs return could arrive at just the right time for the final stretch of the season. Arizona has been leaning on its relief group for months, and adding a power arm back into the picture gives the club a chance to reshape late-game innings as the schedule tightens up. [Read more 🡒]