Over the Diamondbacks‘ first four games of the season, bullpen performances have been among the things that have stood out the most.
The home opener on Monday, March 30, saw another troublesome relief effort, as the Diamondbacks watched their 8-0 lead over the Detroit Tigers turn into 8-6 with a seventh-inning fiasco that had many of the more than 48,000 fans at Chase Field loudly groaning.
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Right-handers Joe Ross and Ryan Thompson struggled, but Juan Morillo got a critical out, and Kevin Ginkel, Taylor Clarke and closer Paul Sewald pitched scoreless innings to help Arizona to its first win of the season.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Randy Johnson heads to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
The Budweiser Clydesdales march out in front of Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
The Budweiser Clydesdales march out in front of Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Ron Atkins and his wife Terri take a photo in front of the Budweiser Clydesdales before heading in to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Stephen Candelaria stands outside Chase Field before the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Baseball fans head to Chase Field for the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
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Arizona Diamondbacks face Detroit Tigers in 2026 home opener
Tom Kimbro, self-proclaimed “The Ballpark Man,” stands outside Chase Field before the Diamondbacks’ home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026.
“We’ve just got to eliminate that one bad inning,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It happened to us a couple of times in L.A., we’re going to figure that out. And when we do, we’re going to get on some really nice runs.”
Lovullo could sense the restlessness in the seats as Ross gave up hit after hit and couldn’t get a third out. Then Thompson came in and couldn’t consistently find the strike zone while being called for two balks. Back-to-back walks brought Lovullo out for a second pitching change, and Morillo induced a weak grounder to second base to end the inning.
“I was thinking the same thing that everyone was in the stadium,” Lovullo said. “I was just grateful that Juan Morillo came in and dialed it up and got the job done.”
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Thompson said the balks didn’t rattle him, but he was frustrated to have the first base umpire, Bill Miller, make those calls.
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryan Thompson (81) pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field on March 30, 2026.
“I didn’t change anything today than what I’ve done my whole career,” Thompson said. “Balks don’t really get called much in this game, so it didn’t really hurt me much because I wasn’t doing myself any favors. It’s not like I’m blaming anybody for anything, but it’s tough to see the first base umpire be the one that calls that when there’s two other umpires on the field that have a better angle and a better view and they weren’t calling it.
Thompson faced three batters, walking two and allowing a hit plus the balks. Eleven of his 13 pitches were balls.
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“Everything that went wrong today was my own doing. … It’s just the nature of the beast. I’m a perfectionist, and so I already have 10 ideas on how I’m going to come back tomorrow and dominate.”
Thompson admitted he wasn’t at his best. So he was grateful to Morillo for getting the critical out of the game.
Arizona Diamondbacks fans yell at pitcher Ryan Thompson after his outing against the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field on March 30, 2026.
“I came in here in the clubhouse and saw him there, and I gave him a big smooch on the cheek and told him I love him,” Thompson said.
As he pointed out, the season was just four games old. Still, what was a concern for the Diamondbacks when the team convened for spring training has been thrust into the spotlight again, as the Diamondbacks have had trouble holding both big and small leads in games.
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Lovullo didn’t have righty Jonathan Loaisiga available Monday, giving him a day off after two effective innings in Los Angeles. He’d hoped Ross could give him multiple innings, but had to turn to his late-inning options to finish the game.
“I was nervous, OK,” Lovullo said.
Morillo, who gave up a go-ahead two-run home run in Los Angeles late in the March 28 game, calmed his manager’s nerves with a fastball that got the big out to end the seventh. Clarke bounced back from a rough outing against the Dodgers last Thursday and kept the Diamondbacks in front of the Tigers.
“Just execute my pitches and get out of it,” Morillo said, when asked in Spanish what he thought about when entering with the bases loaded and the tying and go-ahead runs on base. “Nothing in my head but that. I’m glad I was given the opportunity.
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“We all trust in each other and have each other’s back. We’re here to help win and I thank God I was able to do my job.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks bullpen causes consternation in Chase Field crowd