Brandon Pfaadt returning to Diamondbacks’ rotation, but not at starter’s workload right away

The Arizona Diamondbacks will start pitcher Brandon Pfaadt on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, manager Torey Lovullo announced, ending Pfaadt’s journey from the rotation to the bullpen to Triple-A Reno and back into the starting five.

He was officially recalled from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday afternoon, with pitcher Juan Burgos optioned to the Aces to make room for the starter.

Arizona moved Pfaadt to the bullpen when it rostered a pitching surplus, and he was not stretched out enough when the club experienced a deficit earlier this month.

When Ryne Nelson and Michael Soroka went on the injured list, Pfaadt was not quite ready to return, paving the way for Jose Cabrera and Mitch Bratt to make their MLB debuts.

Pfaadt made his last major league start on April 11 and was in the bullpen until getting optioned on June 6.

“He was accountable, and we knew that it was a matter of time before he started to get on a little bit of a run and get the reps that he needed and find himself back here in the big leagues,” Lovullo said. “He did what he was supposed to do. He’s filled up the zone, he’s continuing to shape pitches the right way and attack the zone the right way.”

Pfaadt made three starts in Triple-A Reno, throwing 33, 45 and 52 pitches, respectively. He allowed two earned runs across 10 innings of work.

The right-hander had been Arizona’s most durable starter in 2024 and 2025, pitching 358.1 innings, albeit with inconsistent results (4.97 ERA, 3.91 FIP).

Those ups and downs continued into this season, leading to the role change.

His last start in Reno was on June 20, so the number of pitches he will be tasked with throwing is likely not going to look like a typical starter’s workload.

“It’s going well,” Reno pitching coach Jeff Bajenaru told Arizona Sports last week. “We did a lot of delivery work with him, getting back to his more natural position. I think he was a little off, getting a little leaned over. … Just getting him back to being a little more upright. It’s his natural position. It’s just one of those things that creeps in over time, and it’s hard to notice in the season, but the big league staff was all over it, too.

“I think his buildup’s been fine. He wants more and he’s ready for more. He’s always been a horse for us, so we’re taking time with him now, but I think he’s in a good place.”

Pfaadt was around the ballpark on the taxi squad Monday, and Lovullo joked that unless an alien took him away, he would be in position to start.

The Diamondbacks won their series opener against the Giants, 5-4.

The game starts at 6:40 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

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