NEW YORK -- Nothing helps a beleaguered bullpen quite like an outstanding start and some timely hitting, two things the D-backs got in a 4-2 win over the Mets on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field.
Zac Gallen allowed just one run -- a homer to Juan Soto -- over six innings of work, and the Arizona offense did just enough against New York. Alek Thomas and Eugenio Suárez each drove home a run, while late solo homers from Geraldo Perdomo and Tim Tawa helped secure the series win.
The victory was much-needed on a day when the D-backs' bullpen suffered another blow, as co-closer Justin Martinez was placed on the 15-day IL after experiencing shoulder fatigue, which has led to a drop in his velocity.
When the season opened, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo elected to use both lefty A.J. Puk and the right-handed Martinez to close out games based on matchups. Now, both are on the injured list, with Puk transferred to the 60-day IL due to a flexor strain in his elbow.
Martinez complained of shoulder fatigue a couple of weeks ago and the team has been careful with his usage since. From Opening Day through his appearance on April 23, Martinez averaged 100.4 mph with his two-seam fastball.
That dropped to 97 mph on average last Sunday against the Braves, and it was down to an average of just 93.5 mph on Wednesday against the Mets, when he faced three batters while allowing a homer and two walks.
Lovullo almost immediately got another reliever warming when he saw the drop in velocity on the stadium scoreboard, and he met with Martinez and the team’s training staff after the game to plot the next course of action.
That included Martinez flying back to Phoenix on Thursday and having some imaging done on his arm.
“We just figured this was the best option for him to get back to Arizona, get evaluated by our medical team, and let's find out what's going on in his shoulder,” Lovullo said. “We feel strongly there's nothing wrong, but we felt like, at the very least, we’ll give him a little bit of a blow, get him healthy, get him back to full speed, and that's the most important thing.”
The reason the D-backs feel so confident that there is nothing other than fatigue going on with Martinez’s shoulder is the feedback they continue to get from him that he is not feeling any pain or discomfort.
“I feel good,” Martinez said after Wednesday’s outing. “I don’t know, we’re going to figure it out.”
Having both Puk and Martinez out of action puts Arizona in a tough spot, but on the positive front, the bullpen has gotten excellent performances from lefty Jalen Beeks and right-hander Shelby Miller so far this year.
Add to that the fact that right-hander Kevin Ginkel returned from the IL on Tuesday, giving Lovullo three good options late in the game.
Lovullo used Miller to close out Thursday's game, while Ginkel pitched the eighth. Who closes going forward remains to be seen.
“We have a deep group of guys that we trust,” Lovullo said. “I know everybody’s going to ask me who’s going to be the closer. I don’t know what that answer is, but we miss A.J. and we’re going to miss J-Mart. But they’re going to heal and they’re going to come back and they’re going to help us win games. In the meantime, everybody’s going to hold down the fort and keep their seats warm for them.”
To replace Martinez, the D-backs selected the contract of left-hander José Castillo from Triple-A Reno.
The 29-year-old has pitched parts of four seasons in the big leagues, most recently with the Padres in 2023. Arizona signed him following the 2024 season to a Minor League deal with a spring invite, and he impressed the coaching staff before getting injured.
In 5 1/3 innings for Reno this year since being activated on April 19 he has allowed just one run.
“He’s been throwing the ball really well,” Lovullo said. “It’s a lot of velocity, it’s a really good secondary pitch, the slider, and he challenges hitters. He’s got a little bit of experience. We’re excited for him today.”