Arizona Diamondbacks’ final rotation spot up in the air
Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert files a report that the Arizona Diamondbacks have yet to settle on the club’s final spot in its starting rotation. Even though Arizona’s 2014 season has already begun, the club was permitted to enact a 28-player roster (instead of a 25-man roster) for the Opening Series in Australia.
D’backs GM Kevin Towers tells Gilbert there are two pitchers vying for that opening: Randall Delgado and Archie Bradley.
Bradley dazzled in his first two spring outings. He tossed a total of 6.1 innings, allowing no runs and only 3 hits. Bradley struck out 9 opponents while walking 4. But his last two outings haven’t been on that level. In those two outings, totaling 5.2 IP, Bradley has allowed 7 runs on 11 hits and surrendered his first home run in an exhibition against Team Australia. He’s also issued 5 free passes while striking out a total of 4.
For Delgado, his spring hasn’t exactly been a dazzling one. In his three outings (all starts), he’s thrown 11.1 innings, but allowed 14 hits and 7 runs. The plus side is that Delgado has issued only 1 walk. He hasn’t pitched in a MLB spring game in over a week,
But what if you take overall experience into consideration? Advantage, Delgado (duh!) as he owns 45 games (43 starts) of MLB time.
Or if you’re Towers, you elect to start the clock on Bradley and shift Delgado to the bullpen. Delgado has no options remaining, so if he isn’t on the 25-man roster, his days with the D’backs may be numbered. The chances of him “sneaking thorough” are practically nil.
And consider the status of Bronson Arroyo‘s health in this matter as well. If Arroyo should happen to be DL-bound for the first time of his career, both Delgado and Bradley would likely be in the rotation.