D-backs DFA Zack Godley, call up Kevin Ginkel in series of roster moves

The Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday made official what had been reported, designating right-handed pitcher Zack Godley for assignment.

In a corresponding move, the D-backs called up right-hander Kevin Ginkel from Triple-A Reno. They also recalled left-handed pitcher Robby Scott and sent pitcher Taylor Clarke to Reno.

As seen by 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Kellan Olson on Sunday, Godley made his way through the D-backs clubhouse after the game and said his goodbyes to his teammates. The fifth-year major leaguer has struggled mightily this year, leading to him being moved out of a starter role and into the bullpen.

“Right now with the depth that we have and the two new arms that we have in the organization, it just wasn’t going to happen here,” manager Torey Lovullo said before Monday night’s game against the Phillies.

“Maybe it works out for him somewhere else, I hope it does. It was a tough decision as we walked through it with conversation for several days.”

Godley had pitched a scoreless outing in six of his last eight outings, but nonetheless, the right-hander owned a 6.39 ERA on the season through 76 innings. Most recently, he pitched a long relief outing in Saturday’s 18-7 win over the Nationals. Going for a full three-inning appearance to end the game, Godley gave up a home run with two outs in the ninth inning and was replaced by T.J. McFarland.

“Maybe a new voice, maybe a new start,” Lovullo said. “The one thing that I personally expressed to him is that he has a tremendous desire and tremendous energy to stand on the mound and pitch in big innings and big moments.

“He doesn’t back down from that. But I don’t think we were doing him any good, we weren’t doing him right giving him an innings here, an inning there. To get on a big league mound, to get some consistent work, that’s what I think he needs.”

By DFAing Godley, the D-backs remove the pitcher from the 40-man roster and have seven days to trade him or put him on waivers. If he clears waivers, he can be sent to the minor leagues or released.

“The one thing I ask the coaches to do is coach until they can coach no more and that’s when something like that happens,” Lovullo said. “The front office does an unbelievable job of coming down and absorbing information that we’re passing along.

“The question Mike [Hazen] would ask is, ‘What are we doing to fix this?’ and daily it was operational. We were doing everything that we could to help him along. And then once a decision is made, that’s from the front office and then we execute the plan from there.”

Ginkel, meanwhile, is a 25-year-old right-hander who owns an impressive 1.78 ERA between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Reno this year, including a 1.62 ERA in 15 appearances with just Reno, which plays in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He also had a 2.16 ERA in 14 appearances with Jackson, and his WHIP on the season between the two leagues is 0.934.

Scott is a 29-year-old left-hander who 73 major league relief appearances, all with the Boston Red Sox from 2016 to 2018. He has a career 3.91 ERA, but in Triple-A Reno this season has put up a 6.51 ERA.

Clarke’s demotion to Reno can be seen as the end of a six-man rotation. General manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that they would try the six-man unit and that it would likely not be a long-term thing, and after Clarke’s start on Sunday, it appears the team decided that he would be the odd man out.

The 26-year-old has had an up-and-down debut season in the majors this season, posting a 5.46 ERA but has given up two earned runs or fewer in six of his 13 starts. On Sunday against the Nationals, he went 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs.

The rest of the rotation is comprised of Robbie Ray, Mike Leake, Merrill Kelly and rookies Zac Gallen and Alex Young.

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