Lovullo looks at factors in availability of relievers

While he said being severely shorthanded in the bullpen happens “way more often” than it might seem, manager Torey Lovullo on Tuesday shined light on the process the Diamondbacks use to determine whether relievers are available on a nightly basis.

Lovullo was forced on Monday night to stick with reliever Alex Young, sending him to the plate in a tie game with the bases loaded in the sixth inning because, he said, he did not have enough relievers available to cover the rest of the game.

Lovullo said the team considers a variety of variables every day, including how many games they have pitched in five- and 10-day periods, how many pitches they have thrown in those games, how many times they have been

asked to warm up, how many warm-up tosses they made before entering a game and how many pitches they throw in games.

“And it spits out an equation,” Lovullo said. “I rely on that. I rely on that and I believe in that. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a scientist. I’m a baseball manager. If you ask me how to pick up ground balls and throw the ball across the infield, I’ll be OK there. I defer to the people who have studied this and have worked extremely hard at it.”

Lovullo said his bullpen was in a “much better spot” entering Tuesday night’s game, saying his relievers are “pretty much locked and loaded,” including right-hander Humberto Castellanos, who was added to the roster prior to Monday night’s game despite not being available to pitch.

“If we let it go into a player’s hands, he’s always going to tell me that he’s ready to go,” Lovullo said. “That’s not good enough for me. I am not into — nor will I ever be into — hurting somebody and asking them to pause their career and spend time on the disabled list. I’ll never be that guy.”

Good start

Right fielder Kole Calhoun’s rehab assignment got off to a roaring start on Monday night with Triple-A Reno as he slammed home runs in two of his three at-bats.

“He was early-count swinging and he wasn’t missing,” Lovullo said. “To me, that’s a sign of someone that’s feeling good and they’re confident.”

Lovullo said Calhoun was scheduled to play again on Tuesday night. Lovullo again would not reveal the club’s plans for Calhoun’s potential return from the injured list. Calhoun said last week he hoped to be back at some point during the team’s upcoming homestand.

Short hops

Young was optioned to Reno after Monday night’s game, in which he gave up six runs in three innings, raising his ERA to 5.82. Young was replaced on the roster by infielder Andrew Young.

● Left-hander Madison Bumgarner (shoulder inflammation) threw two innings and 34 pitches and right-hander Tyler Clippard (shoulder capsule sprain) threw one inning and 17 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday, Lovullo said.

● Right-hander Taylor Widener (right groin strain) allowed five runs on nine hits, including two home runs, in 2 2/3 innings in a rehab start in the Arizona Complex League (formerly known as the rookie-level Arizona League) on Tuesday night. Lovullo said Widener “felt good,” adding that “getting back on the mound in a competitive environment is the most important thing right now.”

● Reliever Stefan Crichton cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Reno.