Diamondbacks reliever A.J. Puk out for rest of 2026 season
The Diamondbacks will have to get through all of the 2026 season without their signature left-handed reliever.
A.J. Puk #33 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 01, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 7-5. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher A.J. Puk will not pitch this season, manager Torey Lovullo announced on Friday.
Puk last pitched for the Diamondbacks on April 17, 2025, and it is possible he will not perform in Sedona red again given his upcoming free agency.
It has been a long road to get to this point, as Puk initially attempted to rehab an elbow injury, underwent an internal brace procedure last summer and hoped to be back by late May or June of this season.
He made five rehab appearances between the complex league and Triple-A Reno in late May and early June, but he suffered a capsule sprain in his left shoulder that doomed his comeback.
“He worked as hard as he possibly could, it just didn’t work out for him this year,” Lovullo said.
The Diamondbacks bullpen has maneuvered this season without Puk or fellow injured left-hander Andrew Saalfrank, who underwent shoulder surgery before spring training.
Brandyn Garcia has been the lone lefty in the bullpen for most of the year and has been arguably the most effective reliever on the team with a 2.03 ERA in 37 games.
Puk was Arizona’s most impactful trade deadline acquisition in 2024, as he pitched to a 1.32 ERA in 30 games while the Diamondbacks competed for a playoff spot.
He was co-closers with Justin Martinez to start last season before they both dealt with injuries.
Martinez is making his way back from Tommy John surgery. He will pitch for Single-A Visalia on Friday evening as he gets closer to helping the Diamondbacks chase a postseason berth.
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Comments
8 Comments
And here lies the problem with putting all your faith in guys returning from injury. Now one down.
Despair.
Not that he would have made a big difference this year, but it would have been nice to have him start the process of pitching. Recovering from UCL injuries takes a long time & is a careful process. He's not going to be back for some time, maybe not even in 2027. Don't get me wrong - he'll likely pitch, but he'll have pitch counts, stress inning management so he doesn't cause further injury. He won't be turned loose for most of, if not all, of the 2027 season.
Just wondering how any other team would give Burnes more money than what he signed for with the DBacks, especially given his major arm injury?