Who will be the Diamondbacks’ closer? Answer may come during 1st save situation
The Diamondbacks' closer role will likely be revealed when Arizona faces its first save situation, manager Torey Lovullo said.
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SCOTTSDALE — The Arizona Diamondbacks have not named their closer to start the 2026 season, and they simply may not.
Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday he is close to announcing his rotation behind Opening Day starter Zac Gallen. The closer role, however, will likely be revealed when Arizona faces its first save situation.
“You’ll probably figure it out as I’m doing it,” Lovullo said. “That’s kind of the mindset I’ll have right now. I love where a few guys are at.
“I love where Paul Sewald is at. He’s been throwing the heck out of the ball. We have other guys that have been doing the exact same thing. So, out of fairness to the group, I probably won’t say anything until Opening Day and I’ve got to go out there and execute a game plan and win a baseball game.”
Torey Lovullo is expected to announce the starting rotation soon.
As far as closer, that unveiling may have to wait until the Diamondbacks' first save situation of the season. pic.twitter.com/D6rOQnUchS
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 18, 2026
This is not the first time he’s brought up Sewald when asked about possible closers.
Sewald is a prime candidate based on his familiarity with the role and given the rehab status of high-leverage relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez after elbow surgeries. Puk and Martinez have been playing catch and throwing on flat ground this spring with the former looking at a return in the first half of the season and the latter in August.
Sewald saved 35 games for the D-backs between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including the postseason, before losing the closer role and departing in free agency last year. After an injury-marred 2025 season, Sewald returned to the D-backs feeling better physically after finding more life on his fastball with help from data-driven training facility Driveline Baseball in Arizona.
“I am not the closer,” Sewald told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke last week. “I may close games, but I’m not the closer. Our two closers are injured, and they will be back at some point. And so I’m here to pitch whenever it is they tell me to pitch.”
Sewald threw a 1-2-3 inning against the Chicago Cubs Wednesday, his fourth straight scoreless outing.
The D-backs signed Sewald and Taylor Clarke to one-year major league deals this offseason, Jonathan Loaisiga to a minor league deal and traded for Kade Strowd to inject depth into the bullpen.
Clarke has been sharp this spring and shown the ability to throw multiple innings. Loaisiga has looked effective for the most part having entered camp with late inning experience. Young relievers Andrew Hoffmann and Juan Morillo have been standouts in the competition for roles (two runs allowed in 14.1 innings with 17 strikeouts between them).
Morillo threw 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts Wednesday, while Clarke made quick work of two batters.
Lovullo said the club has five or six decisions to make in regard to the roster before Opening Day next week at Dodger Stadium.
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Comments
21 Comments
I know that it is spring training but a relief pitcher especially a closer shouldn't have a 3.60 ERA!
My bigger question is: Why do the local fans have such low standards? Wolf & Luke think that a 4.0+ ERA for a starting pitcher is fantastic? There are tons of fans that think Pfaadt is a good pitcher regardless that he has lifetime 5.0+ ERA and being one of the nine worst starters in the 2025 season.
A closer should have an ERA under 1.50. Again, I know that it is still spring training but 3.60 ERA is nothing to brag about.
Closers can face the most pressure of any position. I'm glad Paul is pitching well in spring training, but these games don't carry the weight of regular season pressure scenarios. I hope he can return to his form from 3 seasons ago, that would be huge if he could hold down the fort until the all star break.
Regardless, if Torrey does decide to roll with him initially, he better be on a short leash. I don't want to see 5 blown saves and hear Torrey talk about how much confidence he has in him before he makes a change (2024 anyone?).
Lovullo will find a way to screw up the bullpen as he does every year. So by the end of the baseball season we will have had at least 15 different closers.