Tyler Clippard coming back to bolster bullpen

The Diamondbacks are on the verge of adding another veteran arm to their bullpen after agreeing to terms with right-hander Tyler Clippard on a oneyear, $2.25 million deal with an option for 2022.

Clippard, who turned 36 last week, posted a 2.77 ERA in 26 innings with the Minnesota Twins last season. He has pitched parts of 14 seasons in the majors and owns a career 3.14 ERA.

Clippard’s deal includes a $1.75 million base salary and a $3.5 million mutual option for 2022 with a $500,000 buyout.

This will be Clippard’s second stint with the Diamondbacks. He spent part of the 2016 season in Arizona, logging a 4.30 ERA before being sent to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline

Clippard is the second veteran addition the Diamondbacks have made to their bullpen this offseason. The club signed right-hander Joakim Soria to a $3.5 million deal earlier this month.

The deal, which also includes the chance to earn more in bonuses, is pending a physical.

Diamondbacks turn to Cabrera for versatility

General Manager Mike Hazen said the club expects new infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to provide the Diamondbacks positional versatility, tough at-bats against left-handed pitching and a veteran presence for a team that would have otherwise had a young group of bench players.

That said, Hazen doesn’t believe Cabrera’s signing, which was announced on Monday morning, will prevent the club from giving playing time to younger players.

“I think there’s still plenty of opportunity for those guys and him to get atbats,” Hazen said, “and we just felt like it’d be a good addition for us.”

The Diamondbacks appear to view Cabrera primarily as a corner infielder with the ability to occasionally slide over to second base. He has hit lefties well in recent years, a valuable skill for the Diamondbacks given how leftyheavy their lineup and bench might be.

“We’ll lean on him for the consistency he’s showed throughout the course of his career,” manager Torey Lovullo said.

One possible route for occasional atbats for Cabrera is for him to start at third base against left-handed pitching, with Eduardo Escobar shifting from third base to second while Ketel Marte plays center field.

Cabrera received a one-year, $1.75 million deal that includes the opportunity to make another $1.05 million in bonuses. He hit .242/.305/.447 for the Washington Nationals last year. He had a more productive .260/.342/.441 season split between the Philadelphia Phillies and Nationals in 2019.

Cabrera has hit .300/.343/.448 in 714 at-bats against lefties over the past six seasons.

To make room for Cabrera on the 40man roster, the club put right-hander Luis Frias on the injured list. Frias tested positive for COVID-19 before camp.

D-Backs spring tickets sold out

Tickets are sold out to each of the Diamondbacks’ 14 spring training home games at Salt River Fields, the club announced on Sunday.

Restrictions due to the pandemic will limit capacity to about 2,200, all of which were sold during presale over the past week and when they were released to the public on Sunday morning. The facility’s capacity is listed at 11,000, though the single-game high is 14,035.

“I’m so excited to welcome them back,” Lovullo said. “Hopefully, as things move on through the course of the year, we start to reintroduce more and more fans. We know it’s a process.”

The rest of the games at Salt River Fields, which the Diamondbacks share with the Colorado Rockies, also have sold out. The Diamondbacks’ first exhibition is scheduled for Feb. 28 against the Colorado Rockies.

Short hops

● Lefty Caleb Smith, who is expected to claim a rotation spot, says he was carrying “bad weight” last season and is down roughly five to 10 pounds from what he normally weighs. “During quarantine, I lost 15 pounds, and I put it back on with just bad weight from not being able to go to the gym and work out and everything,” he said. “Slimming down, losing that bad weight, is going to help me have more mobility and hopefully keep me healthy throughout the whole season.”

● The Diamondbacks added minorleague catcher Dominic Miroglio to camp as a non-roster invitee, giving them another option behind the plate with Stephen Vogt still out following a positive COVID-19 test.