D-backs’ starter Luke Weaver focused on extinguishing ‘big innings’ in 2019

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When Arizona traded away Paul Goldschmidt in December, the Diamondbacks lost a bat, but gained an arm in starting pitcher Luke Weaver.

Pair that with the team losing starters Patrick Corbin and Clay Buchholz through free agency, Weaver factors to be an important piece to Arizona’s future moving forward.

No pressure.

In his first spring training with the D-backs, Weaver is getting used to his new surroundings while also working on limiting the damage when innings go awry, something that has plagued the pitcher at times in his career.

Saturday’s matchup against the Kansas City Royals provided the latest test.

Staying on track with the team’s progression plan with the starters through the spring, Weaver went 3.1 innings on 60 pitches (41 strikes), allowing six hits and an earned run. He also struck out three batters.

“I definitely had to work for it,” Weaver said Saturday after his outing. “Obviously the pitch count got up there a little bit, but you have those games you kinda just try to minimize that damage and that was a big part of last year. Sometimes those innings would get away from me.

“I think today was a huge step in just kinda controlling the situation, throwing some good pitches and letting that defense work a little. So there’s a huge plus in that.”

The Royals got on Weaver from the start as former D-back Chris Owings only needed five pitches to get on base with a leadoff double. He would later score in the inning off a Ryan O’Hearn groundout.

But instead of letting the fire grow, Weaver hung in, putting out the flames before the offensive explosion could take shape.

“Your blood pressure starts to rise a little bit and the game just speeds up on you, everything just kinda moves so just being able to step off breathe a little bit and realize, ‘OK what’s the execution need to be right here. Do I need a strikeout or a ground ball?'” Weaver said when asked about what he thinks about when batters start getting on base.

“Just kinda pre-planning, trying not to just go up there and strike everybody out because that’s when you’re going to lose counts and walk them and stuff’s just unraveling. Breathing, just trying to be in the moment, taking my time and it worked out today, so just building off of that.”

Bench coach Jerry Narron, filling in for Torey Lovullo as half of the team traveled to Monterrey, Mexico for a game against the Colorado Rockies, credited Weaver — and an inside influence — for his composure.

“One thing I saw was that when he got guys on base he didn’t panic,” Narron said after the game. “He was able to work out of some jams and I think watching [Zack] Greinke pitch a couple days ago might have helped because Greinke got in trouble the same way and was able to pitch out of it and Weaver did the same thing today.”

Greinke’s last outing had some similar signs to Weaver’s as Greinke had to rely on secondary pitches to get out of jams. It’s worked well so far for the ace as he’s allowed just one hit and no runs through two spring training starts (4.0 IP).