Ryan Thompson Shines as a Beacon of Reliability in the Diamondbacks’ Struggling Bullpen

Amid a bullpen that ranks among the MLB’s top 10 for the highest ERA, Ryan Thompson has distinguished himself as one of the league’s premier relievers, proving nearly unhittable since joining the Diamondbacks.

Originally selected in the 23rd round of the 2014 draft by the Houston Astros, Thompson’s ascent to the major leagues was lengthy and fraught with challenges.

After spending six seasons in the minors, Thompson made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He played for Tampa for four seasons before being traded to Arizona at last summer’s trade deadline.

In Arizona, Thompson, now 31 and nearly a decade removed from being drafted, has truly hit his stride.

Ending last season with the Diamondbacks, Thompson allowed just one run over 11.1 innings. He has continued this strong performance into 2024, conceding only two earned runs in 15 innings pitched out of the bullpen.

Thompson has played a critical role in the Diamondbacks’ six one-run wins this season, appearing in five and pitching six shutout innings in those victories.

In total, over 29.1 innings with the Diamondbacks, Thompson has achieved a remarkable 0.92 ERA and allowed only 16 hits.

However, despite his efforts, there are limits to what one reliever can achieve, as seen in the Diamondbacks’ recent 5-4 loss to the Orioles. While Thompson pitched 1.1 shutout innings, the bullpen ultimately gave up three unanswered runs.

The D-backs did recently finally get closer Paul Sewald back on the field healthy, but they are still without Kyle Nelson and Miguel Castro out of the bullpen.