D-backs Manager Reflects on A.J. Puk’s Injury, Admits Missteps in Bullpen Management
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ bullpen management saga has taken another dramatic turn, as the team faces yet another injury concern with reliever A.J. Puk. The towering left-hander, who has been a crucial part of the bullpen this season, was placed on the Injured List on April 19 with elbow inflammation. As of now, the full extent of the damage remains unclear, as Puk awaits multiple opinions on his MRI scans. While Manager Torey Lovullo has been tight-lipped about specific details, he has acknowledged that Puk will “miss some time.”
In an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7, D-backs’ Vice President and Assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye hinted that the injury may not be as severe as initially feared, though Lovullo refrained from offering definitive updates, saying only that they were “still waiting for information.”
As the situation unfolds, Lovullo has taken responsibility for the injury, reflecting on his bullpen management decisions. On the surface, Puk’s workload didn’t seem excessive: by April 17, he had pitched in eight games, totaling 156 pitches. He had only appeared in back-to-back games twice—on April 1-2 and April 16-17—so his usage did not immediately raise red flags. However, Lovullo admitted that he may have “burned” Puk, a term he used to describe a situation where a pitcher warms up, gets loose, but isn’t used in the game right away.
“I might have burned him—got him hot and then didn’t get him into a game right away,” Lovullo explained. “So, I’ve got to be better about making decisions on when to get guys into games.” He stressed that part of his philosophy is to avoid getting pitchers up too early, to prevent them from getting too hot without being called into action. Ideally, when a pitcher starts warming up, Lovullo wants it to be with a high likelihood they’ll get into the game.
The complexity of bullpen management is evident in these situations, where timing is everything. Lovullo shared a story of Puk being called to warm up, but then not being used in the game, prompting the reliever to speak up: “If I’m up and hot, put me in the game.”
This nuanced decision-making can sometimes lead to a pitcher being thrust into a game in a less-than-ideal situation, which could be criticized. One such instance occurred in Miami when the D-backs were leading 4-1, but the game quickly shifted to 6-1. Lovullo decided to bring in Puk, even though the situation was far from high leverage. The next day, Puk was called upon again to close out the game, securing a save despite the score being 6-4.
However, the aftermath was concerning. Puk woke up the next morning with a stiff elbow and was unavailable to pitch in Chicago. While the full impact of his workload remains uncertain, it’s clear that the strain on his arm could have been a factor in his injury.