Latest On D-Backs’ Rotation – MLB Trade Rumors

The Diamondbacks entered spring training with four points of rotation. Zack Gallen And Merrill Kelly are the top two on the staff. Madison Bumgarner will get another tear down the middle while Arizona is brought back Zach Davis on a year-long free-agent deal to take a back-end spot.

Who would secure fifth place was one of the more interesting decisions for the Snakes at camp. As MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald found out in early January, it looked like this fight would end in four slingers: Ryne Nelson, Drey Jameson, Tommy Heinrich And Brandon Patht. Jameson and Nelson, who both made their big league debuts late in the 2022 season, looked to be the early favourites.

This actually appears to be a two-person race. Arizona moved Pfaadt, who is not yet on the 40-man roster, to minor league camp over the weekend. They voted Henry to Triple-A Reno this afternoon and also set him aside for an opening-day job.

Neither Jameson nor Nelson did much to snap up the job this spring. The former has allowed eight runs in 9 2/3 innings, while the latter has been marked for nine runs in the same amount of work. Jameson still has a solid 12-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while Nelson’s 10-6 record is less impressive.

Both pitchers did well in very limited MLB looks last year. Jameson made four starts and posted a microscopic 1.48 ERA through 24 1/3 innings. That came with an excellent grounder percentage of 56.1% and above-average strikeouts and walks. It was a very strong debut performance, but it won’t fully address concerns about the abysmal 6.95 ERA he posted in the 114 triple-A innings he pitched prior to his promotion. Reno is among the toughest pitches in the attached Ball to Pitch, which certainly didn’t do him any favors. However, some potential reviewers have suggested that the Ball State product will settle into a bullpen role rather than a rotation due to concerns about its command.

Nelson had some relief himself, although he is generally credited with a more advanced command than Jameson. He doesn’t throw quite as hard or miss as many clubs in his brief big league look as Jameson. However, Nelson had similarly strong finishes in a cup of coffee, allowing four runs in 18 1/3 Big League frames. Over 136 innings at Reno, he had posted a 5.43 ERA with about average strikeout and walk counts.

Henry had the most MLB work of that group in 2022 with nine starting games. He didn’t find the early success of Jameson or Nelson, who served in 47 innings to a 5.36 ERA with below-average strikeout and walk rates. Henry allowed 11 runs in 16 1/3 frames at camp before being given an option. Pfaadt is arguably the side’s highest profile but is the only one yet to make his big-league debut. The 24-year-old made 19 starts with Double-A Amarillo and 10 with Reno last season, combined for a 3.83 ERA in 167 innings. He allowed five runs with 15 strikeouts and four walks in 12 innings that spring.