The Arizona Diamondbacks are signing reliever Paul Sewald, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert first reported on Thursday.
The deal is reportedly for one season and worth $1.5 million, adds AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro.
Sewald pitched for the D-backs from 2023-24 after coming aboard at the 2023 MLB trade deadline and taking over as Arizona’s closer.
He recorded a 3.57 ERA to go along with 13 saves in his first season with the Diamondbacks, helping the franchise reach the World Series. During that postseason run in 2023, Sewald posted a 5.40 ERA and six saves across 10 innings pitched. He was perfect before running into the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
The following season, Sewald picked up an oblique strain during spring training that delayed his start to the year. He was quick to get after it upon his return, notching 11 saves and a 0.54 ERA through the end of June. July was a completely different story, though, with the pitcher blowing four saves and sporting a 10.80 ERA. He would end up losing the closer role, with the D-backs opting for a closer-by-committee approach the rest of the way in 2024.
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Sewald went on to sign with the Cleveland Guardians in 2025 but appeared in just 18 games before being traded midseason to the Detroit Tigers where he appeared in four games. Across 22 combined games, he posted a 4.58 ERA and 1.220 WHIP in 19.2 innings. He added two saves, both with Cleveland.
He missed significant time due to right shoulder strains, while his fastball velocity has decreased from 92.2 mph in 2023 to 90.4 mph last year.
The Diamondbacks entered the offseason in need of both starting rotation and bullpen help.
Arizona’s bullpen went through the injury wringer last season, with its most important arms suffering serious injuries. Co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez both underwent season-ending elbow surgeries after a combined 23.1 innings, while Kevin Ginkel struggled through a shoulder injury-marred campaign. Ryan Thompson and Jalen Beeks also spent stints on the IL.
The D-backs are hoping to get Puk and Martinez back at some point during the 2026 season. They also tendered contracts to Ginkel and Thompson, maintaining some continuity in a bullpen that grew increasingly younger in the second half of last season.
Arizona leaned on a major league-record 17 pitchers to record a save in 2025, including rookies Juan Morillo, Taylor Rashi and Kyle Backhus, the latter of whom was traded to Philadelphia this offseason.
Shelby Miller led the D-backs with 10 saves before getting traded to Milwaukee at the July deadline. There were 30 pitchers in MLB with more than 10 saves last year, and Jhoan Duran recorded more than 10 saves each for two different teams.
The Diamondbacks also led the National League with 29 blown saves.
When asked by MLB Network at the winter meetings what he wanted under the Christmas tree this winter, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said a closer.
“We led the league in blown saves or lost leads after the seventh inning last year,” Lovullo said. “If we’re just league average, we make the playoffs. … I think the back end of a bullpen is extremely important.”
The Diamondbacks have previously shown interest this offseason in several late-inning relievers, including Pete Fairbanks and Pierce Johnson, but the bullpen market moved quicker than other positions, and Arizona went into January without adding a major league reliever.
Arizona signed Taylor Clarke to a one-year deal on Jan. 15, adding depth to the bullpen with another familiar face. The team then traded for righty Kade Strowd from Baltimore.
The club has also taken a series of fliers on relievers with minor league deals, such as former Yankees setup man Jonathan Loaisiga and ex-Mariners righty Isaiah Campbell.
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