Sep 8, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Nabil Crismatt (61) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Former Diamondbacks Pitcher To Have Season-Ending Surgery

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 4:13 PM ET

Former Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Nabil Crismatt will undergo surgery to his UCL, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. This will end his 2026 season.

Crismatt spent the latter end of the 2025 season with the Diamondbacks before signing a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers this offseason.

With Arizona's rotation in a state of question prior to the signings of Michael Soroka and Merrill Kelly, Crismatt appeared to be a reasonable reunion option after a successful stint in the desert. But he opted to seek out another opportunity with Texas, instead. As it turns out, he won't be pitching for anyone this year.

Former Diamondback Nabil Crismatt Suffers Season-Ending Injury

Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Crismatt, 31, had been a reliever nearly his entire major league career. But when the D-backs — battered and undermanned in their rotation — called upon his services as a starter, Crismatt began to come into his own.

Over five emergency starts and three relief appearances (a span of 34.0 innings) Crismatt posted a 3.71 ERA. That number itself was inflated by one poor outing against the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers — Crismatt's final appearance with Arizona. His ERA was 2.61 prior to giving up five earned runs to the Dodgers in 3.0 innings.

That 3.71 figure matches his career total, with a 4.11 FIP underneath it.

Crismatt was unconventional, yet effective as a starter for Arizona. He featured a low-velocity changeup as his primary pitch, but was able to place it and alter it to attack each hitter differently.

"I feel more like who I am as a starter," Crismatt said in an interview with Diamondbacks On SI during the 2025 season. "To be honest, I've been loving it. Being a starter, that's what I feel more comfortable with."

"I think different is his strength," said D-backs pitching coach Brian Kaplan at the time. "I think different is something that he leans on. His identity and feeling confident in who he is gets him where he needs to be."

"It's fun to watch him," manager Torey Lovullo also said. "He dissects the hitters. He negotiates with the hitters. He gets information, makes an adjustment pitch to pitch, can spin balls, throw fastballs anywhere he wants, throw the changeup anywhere, anytime he wants. It's been a lot of fun for us to watch."

Unfortunately, the former D-back's season is over before it begins. Any chance of a reunion, at least for 2026, is now over.