5 questions to start spring training
Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields on Wednesday, the beginning of a six-week buildup to Opening Day. As always, the Diamondbacks enter the year with questions, and while spring training might not answer them completely, we might get clues as to how things could unfold.
Though the majority of the club’s roster spots appear set, here are five questions we’ll be tracking as camp progresses.
1. Can Ketel carry the load?
After losing a superstar in Paul Goldschmidt, the Diamondbacks found a new one in Ketel Marte. In 2019, Marte did all the things he had shown flashes of doing in the past – and then some. He hit for a high average, demonstrated a good approach, played well defensively – and he unleashed power that no one knew was in there.
Just how capable Marte is of repeating his performance figures to be a major storyline for the Diamondbacks in 2020.
Even if he takes a small step back from last year, he would still have enormous value coming off a season in which he hit .329/.389/.592 with 32 homers.
His health and strength could be factors: Marte’s season ended with 10 games remaining due to a stress reaction in his lower back. Whether that injury cut into his offseason strengthening or whether it will resurface again this year are things to watch.
2. Can Bumgarner replace Greinke?
The Diamondbacks are hoping lefthander Madison Bumgarner, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal in December, can fill the shoes of Zack Greinke, who was dealt to the Astros at the trade deadline in July.
Bumgarner certainly has the credentials of a frontline starter as a four-time All-Star and four-time Top 10 finisher in Cy Young voting.
But his results away from his pitcherfriendly home ballpark in San Francisco the past two years are a concern. Bumgarner’s 5.16 ERA on the road is the ninth-worst among starters with at least 25 road starts the past two years.
Greinke was an excellent starter for the Diamondbacks the past three seasons
3. Has Archie turned a corner?
The past two years have been rocky for Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley, filled with ups and downs. He finished the 2019 season on the upswing, logging a 1.47 ERA over his final 34 appearances, with 42 strikeouts in 362⁄3 innings.
Bradley finished the year as the closer and the job is his to lose as camp begins.
Bradley’s success has often gone hand-in-hand with that of the Diamondbacks; when he is going good, so are they. When the club last reached the postseason, in 2017, it did so on the strength of a consistent, dominant season from Bradley. This year’s club certainly would benefit from another sixmonth stretch of solid results from its closer.
4. Will Weaver prove he is healthy?
Right-hander Luke Weaver made 11 strong starts before going down with elbow problems in May. He worked his way back to make one start late in September, throwing just one inning, but questions about his health remain.
Weaver suffered a sprained UCL and a strained flexor mass, injuries that can occasionally linger for pitchers. Weaver will have to show he can take the ball, generate effective stuff for 100 or so pitches and then do it again five days later.
5. Can Peralta return to form?
During his six seasons in the majors, left fielder David Peralta has shown that, when healthy, he can be an impact bat in the middle of the Diamondbacks’ lineup.
Peralta was not healthy for much of last season and his performance suffered. He ultimately underwent surgery on the shoulder.
The last time Peralta underwent surgery, on his wrist in 2016, it took him more than a year to get back to full health. The Diamondbacks are hoping he gets back to his old self much faster this time.