Lovullo talks closer situation; Davies' outing

TEMPE, Ariz. -- D-backs manager Torey Lovullo traditionally has identified a closer in Spring Training and ridden him into the regular season. That will change.

As is becoming a more common practice around baseball, the D-backs’ bullpen usage will be more about situational application than inning designation.

“I think what we’ll probably do is ask guys to go out in a positive role, a negative role or neutral role and just match up the best way we can,” Lovullo said before the D-backs’ 11-10 loss to the Angels on Saturday.

“The newer version of relief pitcher understands that they may pitch in the sixth or in the ninth. We’ll figure that out. We have really good candidates to go get outs at the right time.”

That is not the only adjustment the D-backs have made to address a bullpen that had a 4.58 ERA and a 55 percent save conversion rate in 2022.

Arizona signed Miguel Castro, Jeurys Familia, Andrew Chafin and Scott McGough over the winter.

Castro and Familia were signed in an effort to add the kind of power arms that the D-backs have traditionally been without. Both have a fastball in the 95-96 mph range.

“We’ve made a conscious effort to get some power in the bullpen,” Lovullo said, “to get some swing-and-miss in the bullpen. It’s showed up for us. It’s been very noticeable for us this Spring Training.”

Familia has 125 saves in an 11-year Major League career, but he has only one since 2019 and was 2-3 with a 6.10 ERA with Philadelphia and Boston last season.

Familia’s fastball was in the 94-96 range in his brief appearance on Saturday, when he entered with one out in the last of the seventh and got a popout and a groundout around a bases-empty homer by Mickey Moniak on a 2-0 fastball that found too much of the plate. He threw eight pitches, six strikes.

“He has a lot of movement on his pitches when he’s down,” Lovullo said. “He just made a mistake and a young hitter took advantage of it.”

McGough, the only other newcomer to pitch Saturday, struck out both batters he faced, one in the sixth inning and one in the seventh before being replaced by Familia.

Davies hit hard
D-backs No. 4 starter Zach Davies was roughed up in his second spring start on Saturday, giving up eight hits and six runs in two unusual innings. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Davies was replaced with two outs when he hit 25 pitches.

Using the Spring Training reentry rule, he came back in the second inning and lasted through one out in the third before he was lifted after reaching 63 pitches, his limit.

“You always want to compete,” Davies said. “You always want to get outs. But if things aren’t going for you, you are going to work on stuff. I’m working toward getting built up. I’m not worried about it. Stuff didn’t feel quite as sharp.”

Davies emphasized pitch mix and curveball usage. He has integrated fewer curves into his fastball/changeup mix recently, averaging about five percent curves the last four years.

“Making sure that I’m using all my pitches to the extent that it will make a difference in a game,” Davies said. “I’ve been low on curveball percentage in the past. That [five percent] doesn’t make a difference. But if you get it up into the 15 percent or so, that’s when you can use it for effect and use it for a strikeout.”

Rotation battle continues
Drey Jameson and Ryne Nelson, two of four candidates for the final spot in the five-man rotation, are scheduled to face the Rockies on Sunday. Tommy Henry and Brandon Pfaadt also are competing. Henry is the only left-hander.

“They have all had great moments, and they have all had learning moments,” Lovullo said. "Everybody that is in that race has been progressing and improving start by start. There is not one front-runner right now. Everybody wants to know what the race looks like. It is too early to call.”