Another is the team\u2019s closer, Paul Sewald, a man who defies analytics. The veteran has converted 18 saves in 19 opportunities despite a fastball that averages just 91.4 mph, well below the right-handed league average of 95.2 mph.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind in the count, doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re throwing 100 (mph) or not,\u201d Sewald said. \u201cThese guys hit 100 when it\u2019s 2-0, 2-1 most of the time, so I am just as susceptible as anybody that throws 100.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s found other ways to miss bats, and they\u2019re working. Sewald ranks in the 100th percentile with a .156 xBA, using just a fastball and a sweeper.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about getting ahead in the count, and trying to throw strikes, and mixing up pitches and trying to be unpredictable,\u201d Sewald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeception is the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
While success has ebbed and flowed for the Diamondbacks this season, one thing that\u2019s remained constant has been the bullpen\u2019s imbalance. The team broke spring training camp with zero left-handed relievers, and southpaws have thrown just 9.3% of relief innings for the Diamondbacks this season.<\/p>\n
This year more than any other, the absence of left-handed hurlers stands out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe percentage of plate appearances taken up by lefty batters across the majors this year has skyrocketed,\u201d analytics expert and MLB.com writer Mike Petriello said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fangraphic-1024x872.jpg\")
The percentage of plate appearances by left-handed batters in Major League Baseball has increased significantly in recent years. (Graphic courtesy of FanGraphs)<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, that kind of does show you need some good left-handers in your bullpen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although he was one of the final cuts for the Opening Day roster, Brandyn Garcia has surfaced as that good left-hander for the Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpring training wasn\u2019t the best, first month of the year wasn\u2019t the best either,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was just trusting everything I had, and all the work that I was putting in and everything like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrusting what the coaching staff was telling me, trusting everybody else around me. They were supporting me and they\u2019re there for me, just believing the words everybody kept saying.\u201d<\/p>\n
That trust has paid off for Garcia, as he\u2019s allowed just five earned runs across 17.2 innings this season with a 0.85 WHIP. Despite serving as the primary left-hander in the bullpen, he doesn\u2019t feel any added pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really look at being the only lefty in here,\u201d he said. \u201cHaving the lefty term is kind of a big deal, not really, but everybody here can face a lefty, everyone can face a righty.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he downplays the role of being the only left-hander, he is proud of the importance of his role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was in college, I had this realization that lefties, I need to absolutely dominate,\u201d Garcia told Wolf and Luke on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. \u201cIf a lefty gets a hit off me, I\u2019m way more mad than if a righty does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI take a lot of pride in just being able to go out there and attack lefties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The only other left-handed reliever to feature for the Diamondbacks this season is Philip Abner, who\u2019s thrown 6.1 innings across three sporadic appearances. The bullpen as a whole will be of increased importance going forward, with starters Michael Soroka and Ryne Nelson being placed on the Injured List.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group looks to regain the success it found in May.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust staying confident in ourselves, staying to what we did last month that worked really well,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
They believe once one of the relievers gets on a hot streak, everyone will.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen everyone\u2019s starting to throw the ball well, it feels like it\u2019s contagious,\u201d Sewald said. \u201cJust like when everyone\u2019s hitting well, even if you\u2019re struggling, you know, you start to find barrels.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArizona Diamondbacks bullpen primed for big second half amid roller coaster season<\/p>\n
Matthew Badger, Cronkite News
\nJune 24, 2026<\/p>\n
PHOENIX \u2013 Life in the bullpen is fickle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re pitching well, nobody cares. After one bad outing, every fan knows your name and wants you on the first flight back to Triple-A.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Diamondbacks bullpen found this out during a rollercoaster first half of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s part of the game,\u201d hard-throwing right-hander Juan Morillo said. \u201cThis game is hard like everybody knows.\u201d<\/p>\n
The unit had a rough start to the season, yielding a 5.03 ERA across March and April, but turned it around in May by posting a 2.18 ERA as a group. Things have swelled again in June, with the bullpen\u2019s ERA sitting at 5.02 for the month. Approaching the midway point of the season, the team knows now is the time to turn it back around.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need that consistency on our work every day, to put 100% every day, and then go out there and help the team win,\u201d Morillo said.<\/p>\n
Morillo has seen great improvement in his second pro season, reducing his WHIP from 1.69 to 1.10 while ranking in the 97th percentile for both xERA and xBA, according to Baseball Savant. He\u2019s one of a few pitchers the team\u2019s been able to rely on during the difficult stretches of the season.<\/p>\n
Another is the team\u2019s closer, Paul Sewald, a man who defies analytics. The veteran has converted 18 saves in 19 opportunities despite a fastball that averages just 91.4 mph, well below the right-handed league average of 95.2 mph.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind in the count, doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re throwing 100 (mph) or not,\u201d Sewald said. \u201cThese guys hit 100 when it\u2019s 2-0, 2-1 most of the time, so I am just as susceptible as anybody that throws 100.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s found other ways to miss bats, and they\u2019re working. Sewald ranks in the 100th percentile with a .156 xBA, using just a fastball and a sweeper.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about getting ahead in the count, and trying to throw strikes, and mixing up pitches and trying to be unpredictable,\u201d Sewald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeception is the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
While success has ebbed and flowed for the Diamondbacks this season, one thing that\u2019s remained constant has been the bullpen\u2019s imbalance. The team broke spring training camp with zero left-handed relievers, and southpaws have thrown just 9.3% of relief innings for the Diamondbacks this season.<\/p>\n
This year more than any other, the absence of left-handed hurlers stands out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe percentage of plate appearances taken up by lefty batters across the majors this year has skyrocketed,\u201d analytics expert and MLB.com writer Mike Petriello said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, that kind of does show you need some good left-handers in your bullpen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although he was one of the final cuts for the Opening Day roster, Brandyn Garcia has surfaced as that good left-hander for the Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpring training wasn\u2019t the best, first month of the year wasn\u2019t the best either,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was just trusting everything I had, and all the work that I was putting in and everything like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrusting what the coaching staff was telling me, trusting everybody else around me. They were supporting me and they\u2019re there for me, just believing the words everybody kept saying.\u201d<\/p>\n
That trust has paid off for Garcia, as he\u2019s allowed just five earned runs across 17.2 innings this season with a 0.85 WHIP. Despite serving as the primary left-hander in the bullpen, he doesn\u2019t feel any added pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really look at being the only lefty in here,\u201d he said. \u201cHaving the lefty term is kind of a big deal, not really, but everybody here can face a lefty, everyone can face a righty.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he downplays the role of being the only left-hander, he is proud of the importance of his role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was in college, I had this realization that lefties, I need to absolutely dominate,\u201d Garcia told Wolf and Luke on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. \u201cIf a lefty gets a hit off me, I\u2019m way more mad than if a righty does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI take a lot of pride in just being able to go out there and attack lefties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The only other left-handed reliever to feature for the Diamondbacks this season is Philip Abner, who\u2019s thrown 6.1 innings across three sporadic appearances. The bullpen as a whole will be of increased importance going forward, with starters Michael Soroka and Ryne Nelson being placed on the Injured List.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group looks to regain the success it found in May.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust staying confident in ourselves, staying to what we did last month that worked really well,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
They believe once one of the relievers gets on a hot streak, everyone will.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen everyone\u2019s starting to throw the ball well, it feels like it\u2019s contagious,\u201d Sewald said. \u201cJust like when everyone\u2019s hitting well, even if you\u2019re struggling, you know, you start to find barrels.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.<\/p>\n
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