The Arizona Diamondbacks have decided to move starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt to the bullpen with Merrill Kelly reclaiming his spot in the rotation, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters in Baltimore on Monday, including Jody Jackson.
The D-backs will option reliever Taylor Rashi to Triple-A Reno before Kelly takes the hill for his season debut on Tuesday against the Orioles. Meanwhile, Pfaadt will prepare to make his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2023.
Arizona went into spring training with a starting pitcher surplus after signing Michael Soroka, Kelly and Zac Gallen as free agents, with Kelly picked to start on Opening Day. That plan was scratched, as Kelly dealt with intercostal nerve irritation in his back that delayed his spring ramp-up, leading to the D-backs placing him on the injured list to start the year.
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The club had to decide on who’s spot Kelly would take upon his return and what would happen to whomever lost their spot.
Pfaadt has minor league options, giving the D-backs multiple factors to consider: keep him stretched out in Reno or move him to the bullpen and try to find enough innings.
“I know everybody’s very curious about what’s going to be happening to make room for Merrill. We’re not going to six-man rotation. Brandon was in the bullpen today, just getting a feel for it,” Lovullo said. “He should be gassed up and ready in the next couple days for us.”
The Diamondbacks have been weary of moving pitchers between starter and bullpen roles, although they had success last year with Ryne Nelson. Nelson did not make the rotation out of camp, starting the season as a long reliever. Injuries pushed the D-backs to insert Nelson into the rotation, and he was arguably their most effective starter over the final four months of the campaign.
Nelson had more bullpen experience than Pfaadt, however, the latter of whom has been an innings eater over the past couple years.
Pfaadt leads the Diamondbacks in starts (68) and innings (375) since the start of the 2024 season. He has a 5.02 ERA in that stretch, however, and his struggles to avoid that one big inning have continued early this season (16.2 innings, 5.94 ERA).
He allowed four runs (three earned) in six innings on Saturday with each run coming in the same frame. He allowed five runs in six innings during his season debut, with all five in one inning, as well.
Soroka joined the Diamondbacks with previous bullpen experience, but he has been terrific to start the year with a 2.87 ERA in three starts, all of which resulted in wins. He struck out 10 batters twice in three games.
“Brandon is absolutely engaged to do anything he possibly can to help this baseball team win a baseball game,” Lovullo said. “He took complete accountability, and that’s why he’s going to be an excellent pitcher for us for many years to come.”
The questions for Arizona now become how will it manage Pfaadt’s workload and how long can this arrangement last.
Is this an instance where Pfaadt starts in the bullpen just in case the team needs long relief in the coming days but heads to Reno to start games if he does not get enough innings?
Ace Corbin Burnes won’t be back until around the All-Star break, and Arizona does not have experienced depth options in Triple-A in case someone gets injured.
As for Kelly, the 37-year-old will make his first start since rejoining the Diamondbacks this offseason.
The veteran pitched for Arizona from 2019 until the 2025 trade deadline but came back on a two-year contract (vesting option for a third season). After making starts at the end of Cactus League, for Reno and in extended spring training, he built up to 83 pitches in his most recent outing.
Rashi became the odd man out after a brutal outing in Monday’s loss to the Orioles, 9-7. Rashi allowed four runs and recorded two outs, giving up a grand slam that brought the Orioles back into the game.
The Diamondbacks and Orioles play again on Tuesday at 3:35 p.m. MST on ESPN 620 AM and the Arizona Sports app.
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