D-backs' Manager Discusses Closer Role, Opening Day Starter

The Arizona Diamondbacks enter 2025 Spring Training with an abundance of wealth on the pitching staff, a far cry from some previous years. Of course, there's the closer competition, questions around utilization, and a nearly entirely new pitching coaching staff.

Manager Torey Lovullo met with the media on Friday, and gave some insight into high-leverage usage, his potential Opening Day Starter, and more.

The Closer Role

Lovullo said it's tough to pick a closer in Spring Training since no high-leverage situation has quite the same gravity or situational difficulty as there would be in a contest that counts.

"It's very [difficult]. I think spring training is always a big challenge for an underreaction, an overreaction, being overwhelmed, underwhelmed. It's a little bit of a challenge, so we look at it a little bit differently.

"We don't necessarily base it off the results, but sometimes we do. It just depends on who the competition is and what it looked like in the moment."

"We want to see guys make pitches, shape pitches, have mound presence, and we want to get to know the guys. The group that we have, we feel like we know them really, really well. Some have been here longer than others," Lovullo said.

While general manager Mike Hazen had expressed his desire to add a high-leverage reliever with closing experience, the only move that has materialized to this point is the signing of right-hander Kendall Graveman.

When it comes to the ninth inning, there's a variety of in-house options, but Lovullo said the evaluation and ultimate decision goes beyond pure stuff.

"I think the heartbeat and the mind has something to do with it as well. You can't just throw anybody out there. It's a very tough situation, and I think a few people are going to be strongly considered.

"I want to see [Justin Martinez's] 104-mile-an-hour fastball, which is great. ... But I also want to see the two-seam fastball land in the right spot against really good right-handed hitters. And he will. He's going to do it."

"I've been watching him, and he's ready for the challenge. I just want to see what it all looks like, so I don't want to over-evaluate at this point," he said.

Of course, it's hard to truly compete for a closer role in Spring, considering Cactus League rosters are made up of plenty of minor league prospects and less dangerous MLB hitters.

Lovullo acknowledged the difficulty in using Spring data to determine high-leverage roles, and said there could be an adjustment to the evaluation process this spring.

"We typically will throw some of the younger guys that are going to be in camp for a short period of time, let them log their innings... but just see what they look like in that environment and give them an opportunity to face some big league hitters. So that's what we've done.

"Mike [Hazen] and I specifically talked about this topic towards the end of last year. What should we do in spring training with some of our higher-leverage relievers? So we may make some adjustments to that. It's a very valid point," Lovullo said.

Drey Jameson

One such reliever to keep an eye on is right-hander Drey Jameson. Jameson was primarily used as a starter in seasons past, but missed all of 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. Now, he's fully healthy, but is he ready to get right back into action?

Lovullo said using Jameson as a starter again likely isn't on the table for the time being, but his overall usage outlook remains fluid.

"We might stretch him out to multiples, but it's about getting him on the mound, recovering, see how he feels the next day, and just being aware of what he's done over the past year," Lovullo said.

"I will say that his stuff has been coming out super hot, real hot, and that goes back to the first bullpen I saw him throw maybe mid-January right here. Earlier than that, he was up to 92, 93, and I've seen him throw pitches up to 96, 97 miles an hour."

"He's worked his butt off, and he's in a really good spot, but it is about getting him on the hill, rest, recovery, doing it again, and feeling healthy. I have a very strong indication that he's going to be as ready as he possibly can for us," said the skipper.

Opening Day Starter

But outside of the bullpen, an interesting conundrum looms in the rotation.

While there are obvious questions surrounding the younger arms, the fifth starter's spot, and Jordan Montgomery, Arizona now has two aces at the top of the rotation. Between Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes, who gets the ball come March 27?

Lovullo said he has yet to make a firm decision, but, while Burnes might bring the more impressive resume, he can't rule out Gallen for the nod.

"I'm more curious about Corbin Burnes, getting to know him and having conversations from the heart, and just letting him dig into who I am, and I want to do the exact same," said Lovullo. "So that's what I'm trying to accomplish right now at this point in spring training, so I haven't had any conversations like that."

"We have a lot of hard decisions, and that'll be one for sure. Zac is a very important piece of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and has been for a long period of time. We are where we are today in large part because of what Zac Gallen has done and started to do and changed the DNA of our starting rotation," the manager said.

Regardless, barring unforeseen health issues, the D-backs' will be set up to have a pair of dominant arms to choose from come Opening Day.