Diamondbacks Star Closer Activated from Injured List

As expected, the Arizona Diamondbacks have officially activated fireballing reliever Justin Martinez from the 15-day injured list. Martinez was first put on the list on May 1 with what the team called right shoulder inflammation.

The corresponding move, as reported yesterday, was to option Christian Montes De Oca back to Triple-A Reno. De Oca had been called up May 16, but never got into a game and has yet to make his major league debut.

Martinez has appeared in 12 games so far this season, throwing 10 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, for a 2.70 ERA. He walked six, hit two batters, and threw one wild pitch while striking out 11.

Acting as the co-closer along with A.J. Puk, Martinez had two saves and three holds through April 17, protecting every lead he was given and not allowing a run through his first seven innings pitched.

Following his outing on the 17th however, which was a back-to-back, Martinez began to complain of fatigue or soreness in his shoulder and was unavailable to pitch the next few days. Puk, meanwhile, went on the injured list with a strained elbow flexor tendon and was later transferred to the 60-day injured list.

When Martinez finally returned to game action on April 23, it was with noticeably diminished velocity. His trademark 100+ MPH sinker had lost about three ticks.

Over his next three outings the velocity losses became steeper, finally dipping under 95 by April 30. It was at that point the team decided to put him on the injured list. An MRI showed no injury, just some minor inflammation.

After some rest and rehab, Martinez began a throwing program, and worked his way through Arizona Complex League action to build his strength back up. On Tuesday he pitched for the Reno Aces on a rehab assignment, where he topped out over 100 MPH again.

Deemed ready to return, he is now back and activated for this critical series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who are a game ahead of Arizona in the National League Wild Card standings.

The entire episode has been a strange one. From the outset, the D-backs insisted Martinez did not have an injury. Manager Torey Lovullo believed it was a dead arm phase that caused the velocity to dip, but because Martinez had never experienced that before, he didn't know how to explain it.

Perhaps it was physical or perhaps it was mental. The one thing that is certain is that the Diamondbacks desperately need Martinez to return to his prior effectiveness and take over a high-leverage role in the bullpen. Shelby Miller has been doing yeoman's work filling in at closer, but he was never intended to fill that role. He, along with several others have been overworked.

Since April 18, the Diamondbacks bullpen has posted a 6.39 ERA, 28th in MLB and have blown multiple large leads, costing the team winnable games. At the same time when the offense goes quiet, and provides razor-thin leads, the bullpen has also struggled mightily in protecting those. Even when they've been successful, the extra pitches needed has created a cascade effect, wearing down the pen.

The Diamondbacks will hope that Martinez can stabilize things as quickly as possible.