D-backs Can't Make This Bullpen Mistake

The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2025 season suffered greatly from a lack of bullpen stability. Both underperformance and severe injury plagued a group that appeared to be growing into a team strength ahead of the year.

Of course, GM Mike Hazen could have had no way of knowing both his closer options would go down with injuries early. Both A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez required Tommy John Surgery.

Preparing for injuries is all part of building a bullpen. Hazen did attempt to add depth with signings such as Kendall Graveman, Jalen Beeks and Shelby Miller. All three of those arms also spent time on the IL, as well.

But with an offseason that will necessitate bullpen additions lying ahead, Arizona has to be careful to avoid making this mistake — failing to add and establish a true ninth-inning closer.

Arizona Diamondbacks Must Define Closer

It's not quite as much about who they add, although that is important. Over the course of this offseason, Arizona Diamondbacks On SI will throw plenty of names into the ring that could be potential relief fits.

But the issue with bullpen compositions in the past, even when healthy, came down to a lack of defined closer role. Hazen seems to want to get the job done by committee, while manager Torey Lovullo prefers having a ninth-inning arm.

It's time for the D-backs to stop looking for under-the-radar arms who all fill a similar leverage role. Arizona needs a bona fide closer to stabilize the rest of the bullpen.

The most successful D-backs' bullpen in recent history (the one in the latter half of 2023) was not necessarily all too full of talent.

It wasn't about what they had, but what they didn't have — a tough ninth-inning decision to make. For better or worse, Paul Sewald was getting the ball in a save situation, and, more often than not in 2023, both he and the setup men in front of him would get the job done.

If Arizona does go out and land a true top-end closer (even if expensive) that will go a long way toward stabilizing the rest of their relief arms. But it doesn't end there.

Choosing to add multiple mid-range relievers rather than an elite closer option can work, but one of them should still be the defined ninth-inning arm.

Even if the ultimate plan is to await the return of Martinez and Puk, it would behoove the D-backs to anticipate handing the full-time closing role to one of those two arms when healthy — if they maintain their performance, of course.

"I think having a closer has definitely set up some of our better bullpens," Hazen said in his end-of-season press conference.

"What you would perceive as me going out and getting a closer is probably a little more gray to that. I think setting up the bullpen from the ninth inning moving forward makes a lot of sense. I think it's been where we've had success."

The D-backs cannot afford to try and outsmart their competition with matchups, under-the-radar signings and bargain-bin arms. They need to either shell out for a top-tier closer, or make a commitment to establishing an in-house option as a pure ninth-inning arm.

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