Crismatt, 31, had been a reliever nearly his entire major league career. But when the D-backs — battered and undermanned in their rotation — called upon his services as a starter, Crismatt began to come into his own.
Over five emergency starts and three relief appearances (a span of 34.0 innings) Crismatt posted a 3.71 ERA. That number itself was inflated by one poor outing against the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers — Crismatt’s final appearance with Arizona. His ERA was 2.61 prior to giving up five earned runs to the Dodgers in 3.0 innings.
That 3.71 figure matches his career total, with a 4.11 FIP underneath it.
Crismatt was unconventional, yet effective as a starter for Arizona. He featured a low-velocity changeup as his primary pitch, but was able to place it and alter it to attack each hitter differently.
“I feel more like who I am as a starter,” Crismatt said in an interview with Diamondbacks On SI during the 2025 season. “To be honest, I’ve been loving it. Being a starter, that’s what I feel more comfortable with.”
“I think different is his strength,” said D-backs pitching coach Brian Kaplan at the time. “I think different is something that he leans on. His identity and feeling confident in who he is gets him where he needs to be.”
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“It’s fun to watch him,” manager Torey Lovullo also said. “He dissects the hitters. He negotiates with the hitters. He gets information, makes an adjustment pitch to pitch, can spin balls, throw fastballs anywhere he wants, throw the changeup anywhere, anytime he wants. It’s been a lot of fun for us to watch.”
Unfortunately, the former D-back’s season is over before it begins. Any chance of a reunion, at least for 2026, is now over.
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