Kevin

Ginkel

Brandyn Garcia was given the first crack at the save, but after Garcia gave up a single and another runner reached via error, the Diamondbacks turned to Ginkel to get the final out, and he did just that. It’s just the second save for Ginkel, and it’s probably one of the last.

He struck out two. Ginkel had gone 52 appearances without a save. His only previous chance came in the 10th inning of a game against the Pirates on July 28, but he had just a one-run lead then and was charged with his first and only blown save for allowing the automatic runner to score. Ginkel got the opportunity today because Brandyn Garcia was unavailable after working the previous two days. Garcia hasn’t been named Arizona’s closer, but he’s clearly Torey Lovullo’s first choice right now.

Ginkel gave up three singles, none of which were hard-hit balls, and then a three-run homer to Rafael Devers before exiting. Ginkel entered the game having allowed three runs — one earned — over 3 2/3 innings in four appearances. He’s struck out four and walked one, and his velocity has been fine after he missed the final two months of 2025 with a shoulder strain. He should be in the running for saves in Arizona’s pen at the start of the year, but it doesn’t seem likely that the team will name a closer initially.

Lovullo noted Kevin Ginkel, Paul Sewald and Ryan Thompson as potential options that want the ball in the ninth inning. Then at some point during the season the Diamondbacks will get Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk back, which will cause further chaos at the back end of their bullpen. Fantasy managers who are trying to speculate for saves here may be better served looking elsewhere.

Ginkel had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3 million via arbitration, so it feels like a fair deal for both sides. He was limited to just 29 appearances with the Diamondbacks in 2025 before being shelved for the season with a right shoulder strain in early August. When healthy, the 31-year-old hurler has proven to be a viable late-inning weapon for the D’Backs.

Ginkel will miss the remainder of the season with a right shoulder strain. It’s unclear whether the 31-year-old righty will require surgery, which would result in a much longer absence, or go the rest and rehabilitation route.

Ginkel hits the shelf for the second time this season due to shoulder issues after missing nearly one month at the outset of the year with inflammation. There is no timetable for his return yet.

It came in his 133rd career relief appearance. Nelson, who just made his season debut Friday, retired three of four batters, with a JJ Bleday homer mixed in. He was a surprising choice in the ninth, but it seems the Diamondbacks didn’t want to use Kevin Ginkel after he threw 20 pitches on Saturday. Kendall Graveman would probably be the top alternative to Ginkel in the Arizona pen, but he tossed a perfect eighth against the heart of the lineup today.

Ginkel was called upon in the 11th inning to preserve a one-run lead with a ghost runner on second base and completed the task. More impressively, he did so on just six pitches. These could be his last few weeks as a closer this season as tons of trade rumors swirl around him and the rest of this Diamondbacks’ roster.

The first two hits against Ginkel were both bunts, with the second supposed to be a sacrifice. Ginkel rebounded to get Victor Caratini to pop out. Old friend Christian Walker came up after that. Ginkel battled him with eight straight fastballs, all of them designed to be at the belt or above. The last one, though, dipped into the heart of the strike zone, and Walker managed to ground it up the middle for a single. It’s the first run allowed by Ginkel in six appearances. He’s still the favorite for saves in Arizona at the moment.