RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesPITTSBURGH — Manager Torey Lovullo sounded as if he were leaning toward making a change at closer, but he stopped short of saying he would move away from Paul Sewald in the ninth inning.
“I have to have some critical conversations with myself and those around me,” Lovullo said Wednesday morning, July 29. “I’ll get to those as soon as I possibly can. I have to go down that road and start to think about what’s best for this team sometimes.”
Sewald blew just his third save opportunity of the year on Tuesday night, July 28, but the outing — in which he gave up a pair of homers and, in the process, a three-run lead — extended a run of struggles that go back the better part of six weeks.
Since mid-June, Sewald has given up 14 runs (13 earned) in 11 1/3 innings. He has served up seven homers in that span.
Lovullo’s most likely alternative in the ninth figures to be right-hander Juan Morillo, who has emerged as the club’s most trusted reliever. The Diamondbacks have gone to him routinely late in games to face the opposition’s top hitters, whether it be in the seventh or eighth inning.
“He’s been great,” Lovullo said. “Talk about a big-leaguer emerging right before our very eyes with elite stuff. It’s a three-pitch mix, maybe even four with a two-seam/four-seam fastball.”
Morillo has a 2.68 ERA in 43 2/3 innings with 16 walks and 52 strikeouts. He has allowed just two home runs all season.
Said Lovullo: “I’ve said it recently: A young player emerges and becomes a big-leaguer when he convinces himself their stuff or their game fits at this level. He takes the mound like he is ready for every challenge and he is fitting in exactly the way he needs to.”
Justin Martinez continues to progress
Right-hander Justin Martinez had been scheduled to pitch in a bridge league game on Tuesday, but that game was canceled, Lovullo said, and Martinez instead pitched in a live batting practice session.
Martinez threw one inning and 20 pitches. Lovullo said Martinez will next pitch this weekend in bridge league — a complex-league setting established for young minor leaguers — before possibly beginning a true minor league rehab assignment next week.
Martinez, working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery, remains on target to return from the injured list sometime in early August.
Diamondbacks at Pirates, 9:35 a.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 2.64) vs. Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-1, 3.72)
At PNC Park : Rodriguez was sharp once again in his latest start, giving up two runs in six innings against the Nationals last week in Washington D.C. … He has gone at least six innings in 14 of his 21 starts this season. … July has been a bit of a shaky month for him. He has allowed a .313/.360/.530 line with four homers. … Jones missed all of last season recovering from elbow surgery. He did not return to action until late May and was a bit inconsistent over his first six starts. He has been very good in his past four, allowing just three runs in 21 innings, walking four and striking out 28. … Jones has elite stuff. He averages 98.5 mph with his fastball and gets whiffs at a 30 percent or better clip on all three of his secondary pitches: slider, changeup and curveball.
Coming up
Thursday, July 30: Off.
Friday, July 31: At Cleveland, 4:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Mitch Bratt (0-1, 6.32) vs. Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (4-10, 3.89).
Saturday, Aug. 1: At Cleveland, 4:15 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Kohl Drake (0-0, 5.00) vs. Guardians LHP Parker Messick (8-6, 2.59).
Sunday, Aug. 2: At Cleveland, 10:40 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (8-8, 4.86) vs. Guardians TBA.
(This story will be updated. Check back soon.)
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks at Pirates live updates. Lovullo mulls shakeup at closer
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