The Arizona Diamondbacks are about to receive a boost to their tired and ineffective bullpen. Closer Justin Martinez appears to have just successfully completed his rehab from an injured list stint, and should be rejoining the team for the weekend series starting Friday against the Cardinals in St. Louis.
Without Martinez, or co-closer A.J. Puk, the D-backs bullpen has been a disaster. Shelby Miller has filled in as the closer since Martinez went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on May 1.
Miller has had his good moments and bad since that date, recording five saves and blowing two while posting a 5.64 ERA. He's had to work in nine of the team's 19 games this month, including each of the last three. He's clearly been overworked, but has taken the ball whenever asked. Without him, the D-backs would have been in far worse shape.
Meanwhile most of the other pitchers the team was depending on to pick up the slack have been inconsistent and generally quite poor. Kevin Ginkel (8.31 ERA), Ryan Thompson (15.19 ERA), Jalen Beeks (6.14 ERA) and Juan Morrillo (6.75 ERA) have combined to throw 29.1 inning and allow 28 earned runs in May, (8.59 ERA).
Add to that the struggles of Joe Mantiply, who was optioned back to Triple-A Reno after two more disastrous outings, and Jose Castillo, who was so bad he was DFA'd and got traded to the Mets, and it has been as bad as one could possibly imagine.
And yet somehow the D-backs are 26-23, just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, and four games behind the NL West leading Dodgers heading into Wednesday night's series finale. They are 10-9 in May. There have no doubt been several games that definitely felt like they should have won were it not for bullpen meltdowns, leading to missed opportunity to post a better record.
One statistic that will probably surprise most people, however, is that the Diamondbacks are 8-8 in one run games. That's exactly league average. Even the Dodgers are just 8-7 in such contests, and the Giants are 10-8. Meanwhile their upcoming opponent, the Cardinals, who have a better overall record at 27-22, are 7-8 in one run games. Also notable is that the D-backs have 14 blown leads, but 12 comeback wins.
With Martinez's return, he should slide right back into a high leverage role, and presumably retake the closer's role very quickly. That should allow Miller, Ginkel, Beeks, and Thompson to move back into more established set up roles.
If Martinez is effective, the stabilization of the bullpen could happen quickly. But it's no forgone conclusion that just because Martinez is back he will be effective. All of his medical imaging and exams check out clean. There was no injury to Martinez. Yet he suffered a dead arm phase, and saw precipitous velocity drop in several outings just before going on the injured list.
Perhaps the issues were mental, as has been speculated on by many. Whether physical or mental, it's critical to the Diamondbacks chances to make the postseason that Martinez resume being the dominant pitcher he is capable of.
In 2024 Martinez threw 72.2 innings and posted a 2.48 ERA while striking out 91 batters. 19 times he was handed leads in what were classified as save situations. He record eight saves, nine holds, and blew the lead twice. That 17 for 19 conversion rate of 89.5% was well above average. In 2025 he's recorded three saves and three holds in seven save situations, 86%.
It's a lot to ask, and truly unfair to expect Martinez to be the catalyst that turns the bullpen into an effective unit all on his own. But he is a crucial piece of the puzzle, without which nothing has seemed to fit.
A.J. Puk meanwhile has begun his throwing program this week, throwing out to 60 feet. He was previously moved to the 60-day IL with a flexor tendon strain and is not eligible to be activated before June 18.
Beeks is the lone lefty in the bullpen and has been overworked, throwing 24 innings so far, or a pace for 79. The team does not appear to feel confident in any of their internal options from the left side, as when they optioned Mantiply they called up right-hand pitcher Scott McGough. It would not be a surprise to see the team attempt to add left-handed relief help from outside the organization in the near future.
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With just a week to go before the July 31 trade deadline passes, the New York Yankees should now have a better idea of how one of their top potential trade partners plans to operate in the coming days. Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Arizona Diamondbacks have told opposing clubs that they intend on moving some of their veteran players. The degree to which they sell is still up for debate, however, and will be determined by several factors. "The number of deals the DBacks complete before next Thursday’s trade deadline will hinge on a variety of factors," Rosenthal wrote. "The level of interest in their players. Whether the proposals they receive for their qualifying-offer candidates exceeds the potential draft-pick compensation. The assessment of club officials about the team’s ability to compete for the third wild-card spot." Eugenio Suárez, Arizona's All-Star third baseman who has posted 36 home runs and a .918 OPS this season in a contract year, is perhaps the top position player available and has been regularly connected to the Yankees given the club's need at the hot corner. Rosenthal noted that the Diamondbacks have scouted the Yankees' farm system amidst their interest in the 34-year-old. "The Diamondbacks, according to a source, are scouting the minor-league systems of at least some of the teams interested in Suárez," he wrote. "Those teams, according to sources and published reports, include the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners." Right-handed starting pitchers Zac Gallen (5.58 ERA in 121 innings) and Merrill Kelly (3.32 ERA in 122 innings), both of whom are rentals like Suárez, may also catch New York's eye as it looks to fortify the rotation behind All-Star lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Arizona came into the year with aspirations of contending in a loaded National League, but season-ending injuries to ace Corbin Burnes and closer Justin Martinez have spelled trouble for the club. The Diamondbacks are currently 50-53 and sit 5 1/2 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the NL. Suárez being dealt is a near certainty, which bodes well for the Yankees, but Arizona's performance over the next week will ultimately establish how many veterans the team ships off before the deadline. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Pursuing Pirates All-Star Outfielder Analyst Proposes Wild Yankees, Pirates Trade MLB Insider Makes Brutal Yankees Prediction MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor
The Packers are banking on the offensive line making big strides this season, but may have suffered a setback during one of the first practices of training camp. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Aaron Banks went down with some sort of injury midway through Thursday’s practice. “Left guard Aaron Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million contract in the offseason, did not finish the practice,” Demovsky noted for ESPN. “He appeared to drop out halfway through the one-hour, 54-minute session. He remained on the field with a helmet on but did not return.” The severity of whatever ailment Banks suffered is unknown at this time, but if he is forced to miss any meaningful practice time it could deal a blow to the Packers trying to build a strong chemistry and cohesion up front. Last season, for the San Francisco 49ers, Banks allowed just one sack but his 25 pressures ranked 105th in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Negotiations between restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors remain at a stalemate, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. “It’s a staring contest between these two sides that could continue much longer than just this month,” Charania said. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported last week that Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, has held numerous discussions with Warriors officials in Las Vegas this month trying to secure a contract that pays at least $25M in average annual salary, even in the short term, according to Fischer. The Warriors have been reluctant to meet that price in a long-term agreement. Charania visited with Kuminga on Wednesday and said that the 22-year-old forward told him that he was in “absolutely no rush to do a deal with the Warriors.” According to new ESPN insider Anthony Slater, coach Steve Kerr has been in contact with Kuminga during the process but Kerr’s tendency to reduce his role during crunch time and in the postseason has left some “scar tissue,” adding that Kuminga no longer wants to be a “Plan B” option. Turner continues to pursue possible sign-and-trade transactions. According to Charania, the Suns and Kings “have made concrete offers with the Warriors over the last week or so.” Those clubs have also offered Kuminga an “opportunity for significant minutes, a starting caliber role” and “those are two things he wants more than anything.” Golden State has balked at the packages those teams have offered, which leaves Kuminga as well as the organization in limbo. The Wizards, Heat, Bulls, Bucks and Nets have also been named as possible suitors for Kuminga. The Warriors’ other potential offseason moves have been delayed until the Kuminga situation is resolved, Charania adds. Slater identifies Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry as free agents that Golden State is interested in. The Warriors have just nine players on standard contracts. Kuminga appeared in just 47 games in 2024-25, having missed more than two months due to a badly sprained ankle. He had an inconsistent role when healthy, averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, with a .454/.305/.668 shooting line. Although he was out of the Warriors’ rotation entirely for some key games at the end of the regular season and in the postseason, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points per game on .554/.389/.720 shooting in his final four playoff games against Minnesota after Stephen Curry injured his hamstring.