Surgery set

Braden Shipley eager for his rotation audition

WASHINGTON – Braden Shipley is getting another crack at the Diamondbacks’ rotation, and the right-hander says he’s better equipped in just about every way to handle the big leagues than he was as a rookie a year ago.

First and foremost, he says, is the fact that his stuff has ticked up from where it was last year. He said he doesn’t think his fastball has dipped below 90 mph in any of his five starts in Triple-A Reno this season and that he’s consistently reaching 95 mph.

He believes this is largely the result of the work he put in during the offseason to gain strength and weight. Shipley said he sometimes dipped below 190 pounds in the past, but he’s more in the 195- to 200-pound range this year.

“I’m just able to move freely down the mound now, and I think there’s a little bit more behind the ball than in past years,” he said. “My legs are stronger, upper body is stronger.”

He’s also further removed from elbow problems that popped up during the 2015 season. At the time, Shipley was under the impression he had bone spurs in his elbow, but when he visited with team physician Dr. Gary Waslewski he learned he had some fraying in his ulnar collateral ligament. After having his MRI results reviewed by multiple doctors, Shipley decided against surgery.

“I’m just confident and know there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Shipley said. “I’m just going out there and throwing.”

Last year, Shipley posted a 5.27 ERA in 70 innings in the majors, and at times he looked like he was laboring to get through opposing lineups multiple times.

Some of that could have been the result of where he was in the season and in his development; at the time of his promotion, he’d already logged 119 1/3 innings in Reno, which was about 37 innings shy of his previous career high.

Shipley knows that Shelby Miller’s injury creates an opportunity in the rotation. The Diamondbacks gave one start to Zack Godley. Now it’s Shipley’s turn. “I think performance obviously has a lot to do with where I stand in the rotation, but at the same time I’m not going to go out there and press and I’m just telling myself to be consistent,” Shipley said. “That’s the big thing up here. As long as you’re consistent, you’ll have a spot.”

Tough call

The Diamondbacks will need to make a roster move to clear space for Shipley, and there doesn’t appear to be an obvious one to be made.

“That’s a credit to how these guys are performing,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “They’re doing their job. Sometimes there are decisions that are tough to make, but we know they need to be made.”

The most recent addition to the roster, lefty T.J. McFarland, has tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings in his two appearances.

He doesn’t have minor-league options, and neither do Randall Delgado or Tom Wilhelmsen, right-handers who have thrown well in recent appearances.

Left-hander Andrew Chafin has a 3.68 ERA in 7 1/3 innings, but he does have options. Outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker also has options, but Lovullo downplayed the idea of sending out a position player.

Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller will undergo Tommy John surgery on May 10, Lovullo said, adding that the procedure will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, as expected.

Recent protocols for Tommy John rehabs call for 14- to 15-month recoveries, meaning if all goes smoothly Miller can be expected back sometime around July or August of next season.

Short hops

Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta was back at the ballpark on Wednesday after staying at the team hotel on Tuesday with an illness. Peralta was not in the lineup, but Lovullo said it’s possible he’ll be available off the bench and could start on Thursday.

Outfielder Gregor Blanco was transferred to Triple-A Reno, where he continues to work his way back from an oblique injury that occurred late in spring training.

Right-hander Rubby De La Rosa made his first appearance in an official minor-league game, tossing a scoreless inning for High-A Visalia on Monday night. Lovullo said he was told De La Rosa was overpowering hitters with a “very firm” fastball that was clocked in the mid-90s. De La Rosa will pitch again on Friday.

The reports were similar for righthander Jake Barrett, Lovullo said. Barrett tossed a scoreless inning for Visalia last week, striking out the side, and was scheduled to pitch again on Wednesday night.