Arizona Diamondbacks will ‘keep working’ to get Evan Marshall back on track

There weren’t many bright spots for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, as would generally be the case when a team wins just 64 games.

However, one positive they could take away from the summer was the emergence of Evan Marshall, who posted a 4-4 record with a 2.74 ERA over the course of 49.1 innings in 57 games.

Then 24 years old, the right-hander looked like he would be a key part of the team’s bullpen for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, the future has not gone at all according to plan.

Marshall has allowed nine earned runs in 10.2 innings this season, surrendering 18 hits and five walks while striking out six. He has allowed three home runs — the same total he gave up all of last season — and has an ERA of 7.59.

Last Sunday, he served up a walk-off home run to Los Angeles’ Yasmani Grandal in the 13th inning of a 1-0 loss. The day before, he allowed two runs on three hits — one of which was a home run — in .2 innings of work.

“It just seems like every mistake he makes gets hit,” D-backs manager Chip Hale told Burns and Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Tuesday. “He’s throwing 95 mph. Sometimes you think guys with that kind of velocity can get away with a mistake every now and again, but he’s just in one of those ruts where every mistake gets hit and, unfortunately, it’s not just a base it, it’s a home run.

“So tough, tough break for him.”

Marshall has allowed at least one run in six of his 10 appearances, looking very different from the pitcher who showed closer’s stuff last year as a rookie.

Given his age and history, the D-backs are certainly not going to give up on him. But, they also can’t afford to keep sending him out there if he’s going to continue to struggle getting guys out.

“We just have to keep working,” Hale said. “He’s working hard on everything. He’s working hard, whether it’s a mechanical issue of getting the ball down in the zone that will help.”

The skipper said Marshall has been getting help from pitching coach Mike Harkey and bullpen coach Mel Stottlemyre, but that part of the issue is making sure Marshall’s confidence does not wane.

If he loses it, Hale said, the coaching staff would have to reevaluate their approach.

“But he feels like he can get the ball down, his off-speed pitches are still good,” he said. “We are going to move him out of real pressure situations right now, if we can.

“We decided that the other day and, shoot, we had him there in the 13th inning.”

The plan going forward will be to turn to Marshall earlier in ball games, “easier” spots for him to pitch in until he gets back to form.

It’s all about location, since Marshall’s stuff is still quite good.

“And that’s the key,” Hale said. “The guys up here can hit that velocity, and when his ball’s up, it straightens out. Some guys can throw the ball up and it will either ride or run in or cut away, and his is just staying really true.”