Arizona Diamondbacks sign reliever Scott McGough to 2-year deal
Dec 15, 2022, 4:24 PM | Updated: 4:38 pm
Scott McGough #39 of Team United States pitches in the seventh innagainst Team Republic of Korea during the semifinals of the men's baseball on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 05, 2021 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Yuichi Masuda/Getty Images)
(Photo by Yuichi Masuda/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with reliever Scott McGough on a two-year contract, the team announced on Thursday.
The 33-year-old right-hander spent the last four seasons playing professional baseball in Japan, totaling 80 saves across 232.2 innings pitched with a 2.94 ERA for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball.
McGough was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He would spend the next seven seasons in the minors trying to break through to the big leagues, with his lone MLB experience coming for the Miami Marlins in six 2015 appearances.
“We’re happy we got this done,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said Thursday. “I think we added another guy that’s gonna pitch in the backend of our bullpen.”
D-backs relievers struggled mightily in 2022, tying for the league lead for losses with 41. Left-hander Joe Mantiply was the team’s lone All-Star and was a bright spot. Ian Kennedy and Mark Melancon, though, both had issues and left Arizona without a consistent closer.
