The Diamondbacks got a long-awaited sight Tuesday night, even if the scoreboard was ugly. After 435 days away from the mound, Martinez was back in a big league game, returning from the second Tommy John surgery of his career and making his first appearance since his last outing.
Martinez came in during the eighth inning of Arizona’s 9-4 loss to the Red Sox and threw a scoreless frame. It wasn’t spotless - he issued a walk and hit a batter while needing 19 pitches, nine of them strikes - but after more than a year on the shelf, the result mattered less than the fact that he was finally out there again.
“It felt like when I debuted,” the right-hander said.
For Martinez, this was the product of a painstaking rehab process the Diamondbacks handled carefully because of the second surgery. He said the key was not forcing the timeline.
“A lot of patience,” Martinez said of what it took to rehab a second time. "It was a lot of time out of this game, and I didn't try to like rush. I didn't try to come back early, because I know that I have to be smart on this one and just believe in the trainers and do my best."
Command was the biggest hurdle in his comeback work, and Martinez didn’t hide that from the team during his rehab assignment. Lovullo said that after one of Martinez’s Minor League appearances, the pitcher was straightforward about needing to sharpen that part of his game before the club activated him.
That honesty showed up again Tuesday. Martinez wasn’t overwhelmed, but he also wasn’t finished polishing the edges.
“I would say could have been better, could have been worse,” Martinez said. "Thank God I got out of there without a lot of damage, but I need to keep working on my command, my delivery and keep doing what I've been doing."
For the time being, Martinez is expected to work in low-leverage spots as he continues building back up. Arizona has found success at the end of games with Brandyn Garcia, Kevin Ginkel, Jonathan Loáisiga and Juan Morillo handling those duties.
Even in a loss, though, Martinez’s return gave Lovullo something positive to hold onto.
“It was great, and I congratulated him and just said, 'Thank you for working so hard to be back here,'" Lovullo said. "And he had a nice smile on his face as he walked in and settled in a little bit.
But he was competing, and that's the most important thing. I saw that familiar face out there, that delivery and that stuff.
It was fun to watch."
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