PHOENIX – Knowing the D-backs need to bolster the bullpen heading into the 2026 MLB season, they have added former closing pitcher Paul Sewald back into the rotation on a one-year contract, and D-backs fans are having some aggravated reactions. The reaction was immediate; scroll any D-backs feed and you’ll see it as confusion and frustration flooded the timelines. Paul Sewald’s one-year, $1.5 million reunion with Arizona isn’t just a roster move; it’s a memory trigger.
Aug 11, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Paul Sewald (38) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies in the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
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Diamondbacks fans react to Paul Sewald’s return:
Sewald was the closing pitcher during the Diamondbacks’ World Series run in 2023. In the World Series, command wavered, and the bullpen’s thin margins were exposed. By 2024, his strikeout rate dipped, hard-contact percentage ticked up, and the closer role eventually shifted elsewhere as the trust he had built up eroded. Not only that, Sewald was primarily injured and also turned 36 years old in May. So why bring him back?
Jul 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona pitcher Sewald (38) reacts against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
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Strategically, this is a low-risk depth play. At $1.5 million, Sewald isn’t being paid to be the savior. He’s insurance. His splitter-heavy profile still generates whiffs when located, and advanced metrics suggest his expected ERA outpaced his actual results during his rough stretch. For a bullpen that thrives on matchups, experience has value. Sewald might get some opportunities here and there, and Arizona is just kicking the tires.
Jun 25, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona pitcher Sewald throws in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
For fans, though, this is emotional math. The memory of what went wrong outweighs the logic of cost efficiency. Arizona isn’t asking Sewald to be 2023’s hero again. They’re asking him to be a piece, for now. Contending teams buy stability where they can find it. This move doesn’t define the bullpen, but it deepens it. Whether fans embrace that depends on one thing: if the ninth inning ever calls his name again.
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Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen