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The Diamondbacks are taking a low-risk shot on veteran reliever, signing right-hander Dennis Santana to a minor league deal two weeks after he was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Santana was dominant with the Pirates last season, logging a 2.18 ERA in 70 appearances out of their bullpen while converting 16 of 19 save chances. He was not the same reliever this year, pitching to a 6.05 ERA in 41⅔ innings.
Santana has an intriguing connection to the Diamondbacks: He crossed paths in Pittsburgh with Diamondbacks assistant general manager Jeremy Bleich, who until December had been the Pirates’ director of pitching development.
“Obviously, have history with player, but I think we would do the same move with anyone in this sort of script,” Bleich said. “Obviously, the reliever pool is extremely volatile. He was good in Pittsburgh and he had a tough year this year. We have found a few things that are different from last year, so I think in this context anytime you can get a pitcher who has had real success at the major-league level and you can find a specific thing or two that you can try to improve in a short period of time, it’s worth the investment in resources to do.”
Asked what specifics the organization will try to adjust with Santana, Bleich kept it vague.
“I think usage stuff and over the mound stuff,” Bleich said. “The human is very competitive, as you probably see. He wants to be in a winning environment. I think he’s motivated by that.”
Santana’s first step will be to work on adjustments at the club’s pitching lab at Salt River Fields.
Diamondbacks LHP Kohl Drake (0-0, 4.85) vs. Padres RHP Walker Buehler (6-5, 5.18).
At Chase Field: Drake gave up two runs in four innings against the Guardians last weekend in Cleveland, throwing 94 pitches. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six. … He has thrown five innings once and four innings twice in his three starts. … Drake’s four-seam fastball has been getting hit hard, with a .286 average and .536 slugging against it. His changeup, however, has been effective, with just a .125 average and 38.1 percent whiff rate. … Buehler has had a rough stretch over the past five weeks, allowing 28 runs (27 earned) in 26⅓ innings across six starts. … Within that run was a July 6 start against the Diamondbacks, who scored seven runs off him in five innings. … Buehler has a seven-pitch arsenal fronted this year by his cutter, a pitch he throws 29.8 percent of the time, holding opposing hitters to a .203 average.
Friday, Aug. 7: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (8-9, 5.04) vs. Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.64).
Saturday, Aug. 8: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66) vs. Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76).
Sunday, Aug. 9: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-4, 2.71) vs. Dodgers TBA.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Padres-Diamondbacks live. Dennis Santana signs minor league deal
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Santana was dominant with the Pirates last season, logging a 2.18 ERA in 70 appearances out of their bullpen while converting 16 of 19 save chances. He was not the same reliever this year, pitching to a 6.05 ERA in 41⅔ innings.
Santana has an intriguing connection to the Diamondbacks: He crossed paths in Pittsburgh with Diamondbacks assistant general manager Jeremy Bleich, who until December had been the Pirates’ director of pitching development.
“Obviously, have history with player, but I think we would do the same move with anyone in this sort of script,” Bleich said. “Obviously, the reliever pool is extremely volatile. He was good in Pittsburgh and he had a tough year this year. We have found a few things that are different from last year, so I think in this context anytime you can get a pitcher who has had real success at the major-league level and you can find a specific thing or two that you can try to improve in a short period of time, it’s worth the investment in resources to do.”
Asked what specifics the organization will try to adjust with Santana, Bleich kept it vague.
“I think usage stuff and over the mound stuff,” Bleich said. “The human is very competitive, as you probably see. He wants to be in a winning environment. I think he’s motivated by that.”
Santana’s first step will be to work on adjustments at the club’s pitching lab at Salt River Fields.
Padres at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks LHP Kohl Drake (0-0, 4.85) vs. Padres RHP Walker Buehler (6-5, 5.18).
At Chase Field: Drake gave up two runs in four innings against the Guardians last weekend in Cleveland, throwing 94 pitches. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six. … He has thrown five innings once and four innings twice in his three starts. … Drake’s four-seam fastball has been getting hit hard, with a .286 average and .536 slugging against it. His changeup, however, has been effective, with just a .125 average and 38.1 percent whiff rate. … Buehler has had a rough stretch over the past five weeks, allowing 28 runs (27 earned) in 26⅓ innings across six starts. … Within that run was a July 6 start against the Diamondbacks, who scored seven runs off him in five innings. … Buehler has a seven-pitch arsenal fronted this year by his cutter, a pitch he throws 29.8 percent of the time, holding opposing hitters to a .203 average.
Coming up
Friday, Aug. 7: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (8-9, 5.04) vs. Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.64).
Saturday, Aug. 8: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66) vs. Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76).
Sunday, Aug. 9: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-4, 2.71) vs. Dodgers TBA.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Padres-Diamondbacks live. Dennis Santana signs minor league deal
Continue reading...
