Brandyn Garcia, who could be a big part of the Diamondbacks‘ bullpen this season, dealt with illness into this week but pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning in Cactus League play on Wednesday, March 4, against the Athletics in Mesa.
The left-hander could help a unit in need of quality arms, with A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez set to open the season on the injured list.
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Garcia has a few weeks left to see what kind of impression he can make with the Diamondbacks’ decision-makers. He clearly has big-league stuff, and heading into the 2026 season, he has some stability in his career.
Last season, Garcia pitched in five different places, starting with Double-A Arkansas in the Seattle Mariners farm system and moving up to Triple-A Tacoma before making his major league debut with Seattle in July.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar catches a fly ball during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar catches a fly ball during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno (14) bats against the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas (5) runs to second base after hitting a double against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
D. Baxter the Bobcat, the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot, signs autographs during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
The Arizona Diamondbacks take the field against the Colorado Rockies during the spring training season opener at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run over Colorado Rockies left fielder Zac Veen (13) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
The Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community traditional dancers perform at the Arizona Diamondbacks spring training season opener at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
A fan and her dog cheer for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) signs autographs during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Colorado Rockies pitcher Juan Mejia (47) throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Fans watch the action on the left field lawn as the Colorado Rockies host the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Andrew Hoffmann (56) throws to the Colorado Rockies in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) catches a fly ball from Colorado Rockies’ Edouard Julien (6) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Philip Abner (50) takes the mound against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
Garcia was traded to the Diamondbacks near the deadline in the Josh Naylor trade, and six days after his big-league debut made his Diamondbacks debut in Pittsburgh.
Garcia pitched in two major league games before being sent to Triple-A Reno, where he spent the next month. He spent all of September with the Diamondbacks and allowed five earned runs over eight innings of work in nine games, providing a glimpse of his potential.
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“I felt pretty good,” Garcia said. “I was definitely just getting my footing, getting it going, whereas I started off really slow. I was getting used to the big leagues, getting used to what it’s like.
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Brandyn Garcia (55) celebrates his strikeout to end the 10th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field in Phoenix, on Sept. 24, 2025.
“When I got sent down for that month, it was a big month for me personally, because I took the time to think, ‘Listen, what’s the worst that can come out of this?’ Once I got back up there, worst is I get sent back down, so why not give it my all every single time I go out there? That was the big ego change.”
Diamondbacks pitching coach Brian Kaplan called Garcia a “special talent.” Kaplan trained Garcia in Jupiter, Florida, at Kaplan’s performance gym, where he worked with pitchers before becoming a coach.
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Garcia throws his fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s with an effective sinker and sweeper. He threw the sinker effectively for strikes against the A’s, striking out two.
“He wants to learn how to utilize his stuff a little bit more, so those conversations are good with him,” Kaplan said. “When we get into some of those details of the types of hitters he’s facing and the type of sequences he uses, how to work off of certain pitches, it’s a good conversation.”
Being traded took some getting used to, as Garcia admitted it takes him time to get acclimated to new places. He has also had to get used to being a reliever, his role for a little more than a year. In 2024, Garcia made 25 starts in the Mariners’ minor leagues before transitioning to the bullpen for 2025.
Kaplan said the Diamondbacks sought to stretch out Garcia, or use him for more innings in appearances, when he was sent to Reno, to slow him down and let him think about the outing in its entirety and not simply try to blow a fastball past a hitter. That helped slow Garcia’s tempo in preparation for his return to the majors.
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“Obviously the bullpen is where it’s at,” he said. “I’m going to put 100 percent into that. If starting opens up in the future, I’m always open to that. But this year my focus is reliever and just going after it and giving it my all every single time I go out there.”
Garcia has been talked about as a late-innings pitcher. The Diamondbacks have shown a proclivity to use a primary closer, and the job is open.
“I think (closer) appeals to almost everybody,” Garcia said. “I’m not really looking at that or forcing it. If it happens, it happens.”
—José M. Romero
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Health updates on Merrill Kelly, Corbin Carroll
Right-hander Merrill Kelly will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, March 5, in what will be his first time getting off the mound since tweaking his back last month, manager Torey Lovullo said.
“He said he feels really good — asymptomatic,” Lovullo said. “We’ve just got to proceed cautiously and just make sure that everything is in a good spot. Everything seems to be moving in a good direction.”
Kelly is aiming to get built up quickly enough that he can avoid the injured list and be an option to start a game during the club’s second series of the season.
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Meanwhile, right fielder Corbin Carroll continues to progress in his recovery from hamate surgery. After saying over the weekend he had been taking swings off the tee and against flips, Carroll has now advanced to hitting standard batting practice throws.
“Now, the next progression is a little more velocity with the (pitching) machine,” Lovullo said. “He’s been in a really good spot.”
Carroll is aiming to be ready in time for the club’s March 26 opener vs. the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
—Nick Piecoro
Lovullo liking Diamondbacks’ ‘edgy’ camp
Lovullo said he likes the way camp has been going so far for his team, calling it the best one he has had during his now 10 springs as manager.
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“I think it’s just a little edgy,” he said. “I think the coaches have created some edginess to the drill work. The players are responding.”
As an example, he said he watched infielders go through drills on Wednesday morning, March 4, and was struck by their quiet focus.
This is noteworthy for Lovullo because of the way last season began. The club played sloppily on defense in the early weeks of the season, and Lovullo has been determined not to let that happen this year.
Looking back, he thinks he might have given what was a veteran team a little too much leeway last spring.
“We came off a really successful 2024 and I just wanted to build into it and I thought we would be able to have an understanding, a mutual understanding, that we’d be ready for Opening Day,” Lovullo said. “We were in some ways. In other ways we weren’t.
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“I think we’re just creating a little bit of intensity and finding a way to make sure that message is getting delivered.”
—Nick Piecoro
(This story will be updated. Check back soon.)
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bullpen role in play for Diamondbacks’ Brandyn Garcia