Seven Runs, Two Outs: What the D-backs Did After Yilber Diaz's Nightmare Just Doesn't Add Up

Alright, so get this, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a move over the weekend that's got everyone scratching their heads. They DFA'd pitcher Yilber Diaz, just hours after he had a truly brutal outing. This all went down so they could clear a 40-man roster spot for Jose Cabrera, who was tabbed to make his Major League Debut as their Sunday starter against the Minnesota Twins. They also brought up left-hander Kohl Drake and sent Philip Abner down to Triple-A Reno. But seriously, the Diaz situation, and how they handled it, is wild.

One Rough Outing Sinks a Career?

Diaz got called up Friday night, fresh meat for a bullpen that was already reeling after Ryne Nelson went down with an injury. The D-backs had to use eight pitchers on Friday because of another injury, this one to Michael Soroka. They were desperate for innings on Saturday, right? So, when Zac Gallen got knocked out in the fifth inning without even recording an out, Diaz was thrown into the fire. And man, did that fire burn. He got just two outs, but not before giving up seven runs on seven hits. Seven! Oh, and one of those was a grand slam. He threw a whopping 44 pitches and still couldn't get that third out. Talk about a nightmare. This isn't to say Diaz was a lock. He's a hard thrower, sure, and had a decent debut back in 2024 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 innings.

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But he couldn't keep that up. Last year, he struggled big time in the minors with a 10.58 ERA and got converted from a starter to a reliever. This year in Reno, he showed some improvement, posting a 4.50 ERA in 32 innings in the hitter-friendly PCL, with 43 strikeouts, but also 21 walks and 32 hits. Those improvements apparently weren't enough to save his roster spot after Saturday's absolute meltdown. He'll need to clear waivers if he wants to stay in their system.

The Head-Scratcher Move

Here’s the part that makes you wonder what the heck is going on. The D-backs had another option for that 40-man spot, an easier one, by the sounds of it. Ryne Nelson, the guy Diaz was initially called up to help cover for, is expected to be out for at least 8-12 weeks, according to Torey Lovullo. So, they could have just moved Nelson to the 60-day Injured List. That would have opened a spot without having to DFA a guy after one terrible outing. Seriously, what gives there? Jose Cabrera is now making his MLB debut, which is awesome for him, and Kohl Drake, a 25-year-old lefty acquired from the Texas Rangers at last year's trade deadline as part of the Merrill, gets his shot. Abner, who threw 2.2 innings and 44 pitches on Saturday, is back in Triple-A. You gotta wonder if this whole situation with Diaz could have been avoided, and what it means for their bullpen's depth moving forward. What do you think, 12s? Was this the right call?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.