ESPN: Devenski is D-backs’ most interesting non-roster invitee

After a season where the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen posted a 4.60 ERA, anything is up for grabs.

The D-backs needed bullpen help, so they brought in former Houston Astros reliever Chris Devenski on a one-year minor league deal.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield named Devenski the D-backs’ most interesting non-roster invitee, saying that the 2017 All-Star could earn a spot in the bullpen if he can stay healthy.

Devenski was a key reliever for the Astros in 2016-17, when he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2016 and then made the All-Star team in 2017. His signature changeup has remained effective, but batters have increasingly teed off against his fastball. He had surgery to fix bone spurs in his elbow, which might explain the 4.83 ERA that season, and inability to make it back in 2020 (he allowed six runs in 3⅔ innings).

Between his rookie year and his All-Star season, Devenski went 12-9, had a 2.42 ERA, recorded five saves and pitched 189 innings. Since 2017, Devenski has only been on the mound for 120 innings and his lowest ERA over the past three seasons was 4.18 in 2018.

Devenski had surgery last September and spent the majority of 2020 on the injured list.

Devenski only appeared in four games in 2020 and faced 21 batters. He had a 14.73 ERA, while allowing seven hits and a home run in his minimal time on the mound.

GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo have not committed to anybody as the top closer as of late, and a healthy Devenski could factor into the late-inning mix if he can be effective early on.

Over the entirety of his career, Devenski has appeared in 225 games, compiled a 16-16 record, recorded seven saves, struck out 332 batters and has a career ERA of 3.35.