Rodney in line to earn at least $4 million

One more game worth $250,000

The price tag for closer Fernando Rodney’s services has climbed as the year has progressed. The Diamondbacks are happy to be paying it.

When the Diamondbacks signed him in December, they guaranteed him a $2.75 million base salary with the chance to earn up to $6.75 million if he met various games finished/appearance thresholds.

As it stands, Rodney is in line to earn $4 million this year, but if he appears in one more game to reach the 60-appearance mark, he’ll earn an addition $250,000.

“When we sat back in the offseason and we were looking at the ability to build in some structure to the back of our bullpen, with experience, to push everyone forward, we approached him and structured the deal in a way that we felt like we would pay him more if we leaned on him in a good season,” General Manager Mike Hazen said. “That’s exactly what’s happened. That’s how we hoped it would go. If it didn’t happen otherwise, we were sort of more protected.”

Rodney, who turned 40 in March, is one save away from becoming the second pitcher in history to reach the 40save mark at the age of 40. He’s converted 39 of 45 save opportunities this season, logging a 4.33 ERA.

Lineup ‘unique’ among final six games

A day after clinching a playoff spot, Torey Lovullo’s lineup on Monday had just two even semi-regular players in it, though the Diamondbacks manager says things will return to normal beginning on Tuesday.

“This is going to be the one unique day (compared to) the next five (games) because it is my thought to continue to playing the type of baseball that we have all year long, not take anything for granted, not take days off or ho hum our way through the next several games,” Lovullo said. “Because no team is good enough to just turn that switch on and be ready for such an important game (the wild-card game) on (Oct. 4).”

Brandon Drury and Adam Rosales were the only players starting on Monday who have received somewhat regular starts in recent weeks – and both have primarily been role players. Most of the lineup was comprised of September callups or bench players.

Lovullo said he plans to continue to use his everyday players and bullpen pitchers in a similar fashion to the way he has to this point in the season. One possible change, he intimated, could come with the pitch counts for his starting pitchers.