Let's zoom in on the D-backs' 3 biggest decisions left

PEORIA, Ariz. -- With just over a week to go in Spring Training, some of the biggest competitions in Diamondbacks camp are still ongoing. That¡¯s just the way manager Torey Lovullo likes it.

¡°I agonize over these decisions,¡± Lovullo said. ¡°And I know [GM Mike Hazen] will allow me to make the final decision, but there's a group of evaluators that are going to give me really good insights as to which direction will help us as fast as possible win baseball games. So I want it to be tough. I want it to be very difficult. I don't want somebody to win by default.¡±

Let¡¯s take a look at the three biggest competitions that are still ongoing:

Fifth starter
Lovullo has known this was going to be a tough one ever since the team signed free agent Corbin Burnes in December.

Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez have spots locked up, which leaves Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery angling for the final spot. Pfaadt struck out seven over five scoreless innings in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Padres.

From the start of camp, the Diamondbacks have made it clear that they don¡¯t want to go with a six-man rotation. Pfaadt and Nelson are ahead of Montgomery in terms of Cactus League appearances and innings because Montgomery was sidelined early in camp with a left index finger injury.

Once Lovullo decides which one gets the spot, the next interesting decision will be what happens with the two who don¡¯t get it. Will they both go to the bullpen or the Minors, or will one be shifted to the bullpen and the other to Triple-A Reno?

Don¡¯t look to ERA or any other metric to determine this one.

¡°I don¡¯t even know who has better numbers,¡± Lovullo said. ¡°I don¡¯t even really care or even look at Spring Training numbers. I¡¯m just watching what my eyes tell me, day by day and pitch by pitch.¡±

Closer
It seems to be Lovullo¡¯s preference to have a designated closer rather than going, as he did at times last year, with a matchup-based approach in the later innings.

That leaves him with a choice among lefty A.J. Puk and right-handers Justin Martinez and Kevin Ginkel.

Each pitcher has a case for the job based on prior performance.

Puk was nearly unhittable for the Diamondbacks last season after coming over from the Marlins at the Trade Deadline and Martinez has a 100-plus mph fastball, split and slider that make him a tough at-bat for anyone, though his command sometimes is a work in progress.

Ginkel, meanwhile, has greatly improved his slider and has been a reliable piece of the back end of the bullpen the past two seasons.

Final bench spot
The Diamondbacks came into camp with one position player spot up for grabs -- a backup infield job.

The competition has thinned out with an injury to Blaze Alexander and the cuts of Grae Kessinger and Connor Kaiser. That leaves Garrett Hampson, Ildemaro Vargas Vargas and prospect Jordan Lawlar in the mix.

Lawlar¡¯s time is coming, but it would be a bit of a surprise if it comes on Opening Day. That¡¯s because after the D-backs' No. 1 prospect in the MLB Pipeline rankings missed large portions of last year due to injury, the Diamondbacks want him to get everyday at-bats. With Geraldo Perdomo ensconced at short and Eugenio Su¨¢rez at third, getting Lawlar enough at-bats would be a challenge.

Hampson, who was signed to a Minor League deal just before camp, entered with the upper hand. The veteran may end up winning the spot, as he can play all over the diamond. But Vargas has had a strong camp and a history with the organization.