3 Pressing questions about the Pitching Staff this Spring Training
1. What do the Diamondbacks do about the rotation? How do they cover for Zac Gallen's absence ?
Reportedly, Zac Gallen has been dealing with a minor shoulder issue. This has caused his Spring Training to be delayed. As such, he most likely won't be ready to pitch in the MLB come to Opening Day. This means he will start the season on the IL and that the Dbacks will have to fill not 2, but 3 spots in their rotation. If Zach Davies is ready to go on Opening Day, then he claims one of those spots. The other two will most likely go to 2 of the following names: Tyler Gilbert, Luke Weaver, Taylor Widener, and Matt Peacock.
2. Who makes the bullpen? Besides Kennedy, Melancon, Keone Kela, and Caleb Smith, there are plenty of spots to fill.
The Diamondbacks have so many pitchers competing for spots in the bullpen. Additionally, one has to imagine some of the guys competing for starting roles would get shifted to the bullpen if they fail to make the rotation. As such, this will be an intense battle to watch throughout the next couple of weeks. Here are some names to watch out for: J.B. Wendelken, Noe Ramirez, Joe Mantiply, Tyler Gilbert, Matt Peacock, Ryan Weiss, Kevin Ginkel, and Kyle Nelson.
3. Can Pitching Coach legend Brent Strom work his magic?
There's a lot of hoopla over whether or not Brent Strom can change the Diamondbacks' pitching woes. After all, he's widely regarded as one of the best pitching coaches of all time. He transformed the Astros from middling throwers to one of the best pitching staff every year. He has a tough challenge this year in remaking one of the worst bullpens/rotations in the MLB. Luckily, the Dbacks did add some new pitchers to help with this task.
The Diamondbacks are retooling ahead of 2023/4 when most of their top prospects will hit the majors. The fact that the Dbacks are overloaded with tons of young talent is exciting. There will be growing pains, but with a solid coaching staff and GM in hand, we can look forward to the future.
Stay on the lookout for upcoming articles on many other topics and the Diamondbacks Spring Training Roster with hitters!