Archie Bradley gets his first save, but not the Diamondbacks’ closer role

Right-hander Archie Bradley’s debut in the ninth inning couldn’t have gone better on Sunday, but Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo insisted he isn’t considering moving away from closer Fernando Rodney.

“Fernando is our closer,” Lovullo said. “There is no closer controversy.”

Rodney retired just one batter while giving up four runs (three earned) in an 8-7 loss on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, Lovullo said Rodney would be available to pitch the series finale, but Lovullo said he changed his mind before the game, ultimately deciding to give him the day off.

Lovullo pointed to the fact Rodney needed 28 pitches on Saturday; that it was a day game after a night game; and that it would have been Rodney’s fourth appearance in a six-day span.

“I know at different times we’ve asked him to step into this role today and close,” Lovullo said. “I just felt like the dynamics were a little bit different and I elected to give him the day off. It made a lot of sense to me on a lot of different levels.”

In earning his first career save, Bradley worked a perfect ninth inning to preserve a 3-2 win. He struck out each of the three batters he faced. He blew 98 mph fastballs past Jabari Blash and Cory Spangenberg before locking up Hector Sanchez on a curveball.

Bradley said he’s been told perhaps five times this year that he was in line to pitch the ninth inning because Rodney has needed a day off, but this was his first time it actually came to fruition.

“It was definitely exciting,” Bradley said. “Since you’ve been in the pen, you think about stuff you haven’t done in the big leagues yet, and I haven’t had a big-league save yet.”

He said he tried to approach it the same way he has the eighth inning all season.

“You’re still making pitches, you’re still doing the exact same thing,” he said. “Keep that same mentality, attack, be aggressive and throw the ball the way you have the whole year.”

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D-Backs call up an MVP prospect

The Diamondbacks made another September roster addition on Sunday, promoting first baseman Christian Reno from Triple-A Reno, where he won the Pacific Coast League’s MVP award during his first season with the organization.

Walker, 26, hit .309 with 32 homers and 114 RBIs for Reno, which had its season come to an end in the first round of the PCL playoffs on Friday night. Walker said it wasn’t until he’d returned home to South Carolina on Saturday that he got a call that evening informing him he was being promoted.

“This is why you do it all year, to get this opportunity,” said Walker, who had cups of coffee with the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 and 2015. “Hopefully, I can make the most of it.”

He certainly made the most of his opportunity to play everyday in the hitter-friendly PCL. He said he made swing adjustments to his bat path that allowed him to make more contact, something he believes helps explain his breakout year.

“I think with anything that increases contact, the power numbers will go up,” he said. “I was swinging and missing and it’s hard to do damage when that’s the case.

“It was really good. The last few years I haven’t been happy with my final numbers at the end of the year. It felt good to look up and be proud of the final product.”

The Diamondbacks are Walker’s fourth organization this year. After the Orioles placed him on waivers in February, Walker found himself there three more times, bouncing from the Braves to the Reds and finally to the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks also waived Walker but because he cleared the club could outright him to Reno.

“There’s definitely something to say for feeling wanted (by multiple teams),” he said, “but at the same time I never felt like I had the chance to settle in anywhere. That was also another thing that was satisfying about the season I had. Given the spring, I didn’t really have too many consistent at-bats going into the season. Being able to stay consistent, start off good and keep it there was a good feeling, for sure.”

Delgado hopeful despite setback

Right-hander Randall Delgado felt more stiffness in his right elbow after his rehab appearance with short-season Hillsboro last week, but he’s hopeful he’ll be able to avoid surgery. He’ll know more once his MRI is reviewed by Dr. James Andrews sometime this week.

“He has all the experience, so he’s going to let us know what’s going to happen, how serious it is,” Delgado said.

Delgado landed on the disabled list in July with a flexor tendon strain, and he said his arm felt great throughout his rehab process until Thursday, the day after his appearance with Hillsboro. He thinks it’s probably because he hadn’t ramped up the intensity until then.

Delgado had been a key part of the Diamondbacks bullpen, even filling in as a starter for a stretch.

“I’ve been trying to help the team the most I can,” Delgado said. “I feel sad. At this moment, I would like to be with them.”