D-backs Bullpen Roster Moves Include Major Injury, Several Call-ups

The Arizona Diamondbacks made a number of roster moves on Saturday morning to address the current state of their bullpen, including a tough injury announcement:

Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP Drey Jameson (No. 99)

Selected from Triple-A Reno: RHP J.P. Feyereisen (No. 61) and RHP Juan Morillo (No. 67)

Optioned to Reno following yesterday’s game: LHP Joe Mantiply and RHP Bryce Jarvis

Placed on 15-day injured list: LHP A.J. Puk (left elbow inflammation; retro 4/18)

Designated for assignment: INF Grae Kessinger

The Puk injury news is the most surprising, and the one we have the least information on as of this writing. This article will be updated as soon as we know more. But this injury further illustrates the difficulty in judging a manager's bullpen moves when the full information on availability and injury is not known at the time things are happening.

D-backs.TV's Jody Jackson reported that Puk felt soreness in his elbow after his last outing in Miami, and will get an MRI on Monday, back in Arizona.

I recently pointed out how the D-backs were lacking in left-hand bullpen depth, and that issue has come home to roost in the worst possible way.

On Friday, working with a shorthanded pen due to multiple relievers being "down" or unavailable, the D-backs suffered a 13-11 loss to the Chicago Cubs in a game they should have won.

Manager Torey Lovullo first sent Ryne Nelson, then Bryce Jarvis, and finally Joe Mantiply to try to take care of the seventh and eighth innings. Each failed spectacularly, combining to allow 11 runs while recording just two outs each. In the midst of all that was a record-setting 10-run eighth inning that temporarily gave the D-backs an 11-7 lead.

The issues for Mantiply, the team's long time left-handed setup and matchup lefty, have been brewing since the start of the season. With his velocity way down, and command an issue, he's been subject to hits and homers like never before. Through 7.1 innings pitched he's allowed 13 earned runs (15.95 ERA) on 20 hits, three homers, and two walks.

Jarvis meanwhile has allowed six runs in 7.1 innings (7.36 ERA) on seven hits, a homer, three walks, and a hit by pitch. Due to him still having minor league options, it was fairly predictable he would lose his spot in the coming weeks when both Kevin Ginkel and Kendall Graveman return from the injured list. He didn't make it that far.

Additions:

Morillo is the quintessential power fastball/slider righty, featuring a four-seamer that averages over 99 MPH and frequently reaches or tops 100. His slider can be a big swing-and-miss pitch too. The question for Morillo, like many hard throwers, has always been whether or not he could command his pitches.

Now 26 years old, the longtime Dodger prospect was picked up by the Diamondbacks over the winter. Morillo has a career minor league walk rate of 4.5/9, and the Dodgers were no longer able to protect him on their 40-man roster.

In 6.1 innings for the Reno Aces this year, Morillo has walked two and struck out eight, allowing one run on five hits. Prior to that, Morillo threw seven scoreless innings in spring training, walking just one batter and striking out 10, while allowing just three base hits. If he's truly figured out his control issues, Morillo could end up being one of the best pickups for the team in several years.

Jameson has been on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery. He's followed up an impressive spring training with 6.2 outstanding innings for Triple-A Reno. He has yet to walk a batter while striking out 10. He's allowed two runs, both on solo homers.

You can check out more detail about Jameson from Aaron Hughes' article from last night, in which he made the case for a call-up for the fireballing right-hander.

J.P. Feyereisen is another right-hander and former Dodger, Tampa Bay Ray, and Milwaukee Brewer. He has appeared in 95 big leagues games and posted a 2.95 ERA, but missed all of 2023 due to shoulder surgery.

He struggled for Los Angeles in 2024, and was picked up by the D-backs during spring training. Pitching for Triple-A Reno he's allowed one earned run in 9.1 innings on 12 hits, 2 walks, and seven strikeouts. He throws a 91 MPH fastball, a slider, and changeup.

Related Content: Diamondbacks Sign Former Dodgers Reliever

Kessinger is a defense-first utility infielder who likely had little if any path to major league playing time, barring a catastrophic run of injuries in the Diamondbacks' infield.