Get to Know D-backs Ace Reliever Ryan Thompson
One could certainly say that the Arizona Diamondbacks never would've made it to the World Series without the arm of Ryan Thompson. While Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald certainly deserve the lion's share of attention, Thompson has very quietly locked down the 6th and 7th innings for Manager Torey Lovullo. He's lengthened this Arizona bullpen and become one of their top relievers. The right-handed side-armer wasn't even a part of the D-backs organization, let alone the roster until late August when the team signed him to a minor league deal after he cleared waivers following Tampa Bay's release.
He made his D-backs debut on August debut on August 27th and locked down a save against the Reds. The rest was history as he would go on to pitch 13 innings and give up just one run, one walk, and struck out nine during that span. According to Thompson, it was a "perfect storm" as he was told "you're going to be our ninth inning guy tonight" and he locked the save down. That allowed him to get some "momentum that started from there. That first outing dictated how that trust went from there" which has led him to be Lovullo's third-most trusted arm.
Thompson loved the massive crowds that have been at the D-backs games thus far in the postseason especially following the sparse crowds for the Rays. "Having the home crowd being as passionate as they are and fueling us, momentum is a big thing in baseball."
Thompson modeled his pitching ability after former star D-backs closer Byung-Hyun Kim. He'd mimic pitching like him since he was eight years old and went full-time towards pitching sidearm after a guy had suggested it to him. "When I finally got that approval from this coach to be, like, you should try this, that's all the excuse I needed to tell my dad, Hey, I can be like Byung-hHun Kim. We practiced it every day for, like, three months. And then all of a sudden it went from sophomore year not being very good to junior year, I was like breaking records at my high school."
The Oregon native attended college at Campbell University where his life and career really took off towards playing baseball professionally. "Campbell changed my life. It helped me grow up as a human being. I found my faith in the Lord there. My baseball career just took off. I had no idea how to pitch. I was just throwing good stuff over the plate. I was taught how to pitch". He helped revitalize the baseball community at Campbell helping them win 40 games in three straight years.
Thompson certainly has been a reliever ace for the D-backs so far in the postseason. He's thrown 10.2 innings and given up just three runs, two of which came in one outing, and has struck out eight batters with three walks. He has a 2.60 FIP and has pitched in multiple innings six times, including in the critical Game 7 victory over the Phillies. He pitched 1.1 innings and got around a jam that Joe Mantiply had created when he gave up the double to Kyle Schwarber.
Now, Thompson is in his second World Series and first as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He and the rest of the bullpen will be called upon often to help the D-backs win their first Championship since 2001. They will take on the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of a Best of Seven-game series that starts Friday night.
