SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks understand that they need to pitch well to compete in the arm-heavy National League West, and that is why the news that No. 1 starter Patrick Corbin almost certainly will miss the 2014 season was so sobering.
Corbin, who said he was feeling discomfort in his left arm for most of the spring, was diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow after leaving a March 15 start against the Cleveland Indians. Instead of throwing the first pitch of the major league season in the D-backs’ series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that begins March 22 in Australia, Corbin will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.
“We don’t know yet that it is going to be Tommy John (surgery). It certainly could be,” D-backs general manager Kevin Towers said.
Corbin was 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA and made his first All-Star Game last season, his first in the rotation after winning the fifth spot in spring training. He talked with teammates Daniel Hudson and Matt Reynolds, both of whom have undergone Tommy John surgery after first trying to rehab the injury without an operation.
“I thought it was just normal fatigue,” a disconsolate Corbin said March 16. “I think it was a freak incident. It kind of sucks that it happened.”
Right-hander Bronson Arroyo also was dealing with a back issue that could make him unavailable for the start of the regular season. Arroyo, acquired to add an effective innings-eater to the rotation, had not been in a game since being scratched from a scheduled March 4 start because of herniated disk in his lower back. The injury flared up three times since 2008, he said, but it did not prevent him from making any of his major league starts. The streak might end at the start of this season.
Without Corbin, the D-backs could slide Randall Delgado, rookie Archie Bradley or Josh Collmenter into the rotation, Towers said. The decision will hinge on whether the D-backs believe Bradley, 21, is ready for the majors or needs more seasoning. The right-hander spent most of last year at Double-A Mobile after being a first-round pick in the 2011 draft out of high school.
Towers said he did not believe trading for a starter was an option, at least in the near future.
The D-backs otherwise came out of spring training intact and with the belief the offseason acquisitions of left fielder Mark Trumbo, closer Addison Reed and Arroyo were enough to push them into contention after two consecutive 81-81 seasons. Trumbo adapted well to his new defensive position, and he made a nice play to track a ball down at the wall the week before the D-backs went to Australia.
“We’re ready,” Towers said.
Reed was not officially named the closer, but it seems only a matter of time. He gave up one run on five hits and a walk in his first seven Cactus League appearances while striking out eight. Veteran J.J. Putz is the other closer candidate, but his numbers were not as good this spring as he tweaked his delivery in an attempt to get his fastball lower in the strike zone.
Martin Prado, who admitted it took him awhile to get settled in 2013 after the seven-player January trade that brought him to the D-backs in the Justin Upton package, had no such issues this spring. He hit .475 with six doubles, a home run and seven RBIs in 14 games before the D-backs left for Australia. He has a home at third base this season after playing a lot of second base last season when Aaron Hill missed 10 weeks with a fractured left hand.
Paul Goldschmidt, the runner-up in NL MVP voting in 2013, will be a fixture in the No. 3 spot in the batting order, manager Kirk Gibson said, and the D-backs expect a bounce-back year from catcher Miguel Montero, who missed a month with a back injury last season. Right fielder Gerardo Parra is expected to lead off against right-handers, at least, with Prado and Hill surrounding Goldschmidt in some order and Montero and Trumbo following.
NOTES, QUOTES
–LHP Patrick Corbin appears on the road to Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow March 15, when he pulled himself out in the seventh inning of a start against Cleveland. Corbin said he felt discomfort through the spring, but he felt more pain the final three pitches of his last start. “I thought it was just normal fatigue,” Corbin said. “I think it was a freak incident. It kind of sucks that it happened.” Corbin said he plans to visit Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion as soon as possible. General manager Kevin Towers said RHP Randall Delgado, RHP Archie Bradley and RHP Josh Collmenter are the candidates to replace Corbin in the rotation, adding that a trade in the immediate future is unlikely.
–RHP Archie Bradley, who pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first two spring training starts, gave up five hits and four runs in two innings of a 6-3 loss to Seattle on March 13. “I just couldn’t get that first pitch over, and it seemed like every batter, I was working from behind,” said Bradley, whose chances of making the Opening Day roster increased due to LHP Patrick Corbin’s elbow injury. “I know what I need to work on going into my bullpen (session). Now I have to get ready for Australia.” Bradley is scheduled to start the D-backs’ exhibition game against the Australian national team on March 21, the day before the D-backs open their two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Sydney.
–SS/2B Cliff Pennington, SS Chris Owings and SS Didi Gregorius will be on the roster for the Australia trip, manager Kirk Gibson said. “A middle-of-the-diamond guy is a premium guy,” Gibson said. The D-backs have extra roster room because they plan to take only two of their five starting pitchers, LHP Wade Miley and RHP Trevor Cahill. Other teams have asked about Owings and Gregorius in trade conversations, but the D-backs have said the one young player who does not win the job will be sent to Triple-A Reno. Pennington will be the backup at shortstop and second base.
–RHP Bronson Arroyo (herniated disk) made his lone Cactus League appearance Feb. 27, although he reported no issues after a 50-pitch bullpen session March 16. He has time to make three spring starts, which could enable him to be ready for the start of the season, but the D-backs will be cautious. “I don’t want to push him early,” D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. “We are looking for the longevity when he gets going. Our thought process is, let’s keep the pressure off him. He’d do almost anything to avoid that (disabled list), but that’s not how we want to approach it at this point of the season. If it was September, maybe.” Because of the Australia trip, the D-backs will need a No. 5 starter until April 4.
–RHP Trevor Cahill suffered a jammed right knee March 11 when he hit the bag awkwardly while covering first base, but he had a successful bullpen session March 13 and he remains on schedule to make his regular-season debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 23 in the second game of the Australia trip. “I don’t have the best knees, so when it happened … it was one of those things, my whole season flashed before my eyes,” Cahill said. “But after I lay there for a second, I knew it was nothing structural. I’ll just be a little sore.” Cahill was 1-1 with a 7.88 ERA through four spring starts.
–C Henry Blanco impressed in his return to Arizona after spending 2011 and most of 2012 with the D-backs. Blanco, whose forte is defense and clubhouse presence, is one of three catchers still in camp vying to back up starter Miguel Montero. “We have to go out and play our game and then it is going to be their decision,” Blanco said. “All we can do is go there and do the best we can and show them that we can still play this game.” Manager Kirk Gibson said the D-backs will take three catchers to Australia to be safe — think foul tip off the thumb, first batter of the first game, 17-hour flight to get a replacement.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “The DL? I don’t know what that is. I’m not looking forward to being introduced to a new product at age 37.” — Diamondbacks RHP Bronson Arroyo, who has never been on the disabled list in his 14-year major league career but whose back injury makes the start of the season problematic.
ROSTER REPORT
The Diamondbacks were sailing along this spring until their No. 1 starter, LHP Patrick Corbin, was diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on March 16, a big blow for a team that understands it must pitch well to compete in the arm-heavy National League West. Corbin will miss the season if Tommy John surgery is necessary, damaging the D-backs’ chances of breaking their cycle of 81-81 records the past two years.
ROTATION:
1. LHP Wade Miley
2. RHP Trevor Cahill
3. RHP Brandon McCarthy
4. RHP Bronson Arroyo
5. RHP Randall Delgado or RHP Archie Bradley
The loss of Corbin was a devastating blow to a rotation that also was dealing with a back injury that limited Arroyo to one start in the first three weeks of spring games. Corbin won the No. 5 job last spring and moved to the head of the class almost immediately, finishing 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA. Corbin tied for sixth in the NL with 23 quality starts last season en route to his first All-Star appearance.
Miley, who had 22 quality starts last year, will take Corbin’s spot at the head of the rotation. He looked sharp this spring. The D-backs are looking for bounce-back years from Cahill and McCarthy after injuries sabotaged both in 2013. McCarthy was strong this spring; Cahill was hit around,
Arroyo may miss one regular-season start, at most, because of his back injury. The D-backs’ decision at No. 5 is whether they believe top prospect Bradley, 21, is ready for the last step up, or if he is best served to get more seasoning, in which case Delgado can fill in.
BULLPEN:
RHP Addison Reed (closer)
RHP J.J. Putz
RHP Brad Ziegler
RHP David Hernandez
RHP Josh Collmenter
LHP Oliver Perez
LHP Joe Thatcher or RHP Will Harris
Reed, acquired after picking up 69 saves the past two seasons with the White Sox, pitched well this spring, giving up one run in his first 7 1/3 innings while striking out eight. Manager Kirk Gibson had not named his closer, but it seems a mere formality for a bullpen that needed a remake.
The D-backs tied for the major league lead with 29 failed save conversions and led major league bullpens with 59 home runs given up in 2013, so changes were inevitable, especially from GM Kevin Towers, who believes a good pitching staff starts at the back end.
Reed’s arrival caused a domino effect. Former closer Putz and 2013 fill-in closer Ziegler will be used as setup men, although Ziegler was very efficient as the closer in the second half last season. Newcomer Perez will be the main lefty, and the D-backs could carry two if specialist Thatcher also makes the team.
LINEUP:
1. RF Gerardo Parra
2. 3B Martin Prado
3. 1B Paul Goldschmidt
4. 2B Aaron Hill
5. LF Mark Trumbo
6. C Miguel Montero
7. CF A.J. Pollock
8. SS Chris Owings
About all manager Kirk Gibson would commit to before the D-backs’ season-opening series in Australia is that Goldschmidt would hit third. Maybe that is the safest way to go. Gibson used 138 lineups last season and has used 396 since taking over in 2011. The Los Angeles Dodgers have used 412 lineups in that same span.
The D-backs powered up with when they acquired Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels in a three-way deal that cost them CF Adam Eaton and LHP Tyler Skaggs. Trumbo has the resume, with 95 home runs and 284 RBIs in three seasons in a more pitcher-friendly park in Anaheim over his first three seasons.
Goldschmidt had a breakout 2013 with 36 homers and an NL-high 125 RBIs, and Prado recovered from a slow start to post a career-high 82 RBIs in his first season with Arizona, admitting it took him awhile to settle in after being traded from Atlanta.
The D-backs do not have a pure leadoff hitter, but Parra appears the most likely candidate, at least against right-handed pitchers. Pollock had a strong rookie season, and he could hit at the top against lefties. Owings apparently beat out Gregorius for the shortstop spot.
RESERVES:
C Henry Blanco
1B/3B Eric Chavez
2B/SS Cliff Pennington
SS Didi Gregorius
OF Tony Campana or INF/OF Matt Tuiasosopo
Only Paul Goldschmidt had a better ratio of RBIs per at-bat than Chavez did in his first season with the D-backs in 2013. Injuries curtailed Chavez’s season, but the D-backs believe a tad less use will keep the veteran healthy for the full season.
OF Cody Ross had a pinch-hit appearance March 16, his first spring training game. While he will miss the Australia trip, he is making a remarkable recovery from his fractured hip. He could return shortly after the team gets back to the United States.
Blanco is prized for his defense and clubhouse presence. Pennington will back up both middle infield spots, and Gregorius could share time at short with Chris Owings.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–LHP Patrick Corbin (sore left elbow) planned to seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews after being diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament on March 16. If surgery is required, he would miss the entire season.
–OF Cody Ross (right hip surgery in August 2013) made his Grapefruit League debut March 16. He might be ready for the start of the U.S. portion of the regular season or shortly thereafter.
–LHP Matt Reynolds (Tommy John surgery in September 2013) likely will miss the entire 2014 season.
–RHP Daniel Hudson (Tommy John surgery in June 2013) underwent his second elbow surgery in two years. He signed a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks in December, and he is expected to miss most of the season.
–RHP Bronson Arroyo (herniated disk) was scratched from a March 2 start. He played long toss March 8 and March 9. He believes he could be ready for the start of the U.S. regular season.
–RHP Trevor Cahill (jammed right knee) was hurt March 11, but he believed he would be fine to make his start in the second game against the Dodgers in Australia.