Robbie Ray shows command, promise in strong Diamondbacks debut

He may not be staying long for now, but lefty slinger Robbie Ray showed Wednesday that he may offer some future cushion in a Diamondbacks pitching corps that was in question earlier this season.

Ray was pulled up from Triple-A Reno to fill in for Archie Bradley, who took a 115-mph line drive to the face about a week ago.

The 23-year-old ceded just one run and five hits with five strikeouts in six innings pitched, and threw plenty of heat — and a few swing-and-a-miss offerings, too.

The five strikeouts matched a career high for Ray.

Ray threw 14 fastballs in the first inning. Five were 95 mph, eight were 96 mph, one was 97 mph. Three swinging strikes on the pitch.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) May 6, 2015

Formerly of the Detroit Tigers and acquired by the D-backs as a part of a three-team trade in December, Ray is becoming less known for the 8.16 ERA he posted in his brief Major League stint in Detroit, and more for the heat he’s been throwing in the Diamondbacks system — especially after this debut.

He’ll reportedly head back down to Triple-A, where he leads the Pacific Coast League with 35 strikeouts in just over 24 innings pitched.

Despite those impressive numbers, his command may be a kink he’ll have to continue to work out, as he has walked 16 batters and only completed six full innings once before his call-up.

But in his first D-backs start — which also became his first D-backs win — he had no issues with either, throwing 92 pitches in six innings and not walking a batter.