Mark

Melancon

Melancon receives a $2 million buyout and heads back to free agency after not throwing a pitch for Arizona this past season due to a right shoulder strain. The 38-year-old reliever’s career could potentially be over at this juncture, but it’s possible he’ll get a shot next spring to compete for a roster spot somewhere else. He’s tallied 262 career saves over 732 appearances in the big leagues dating back to 2009.

Melancon opened the 2023 campaign on the injured list with a right shoulder strain and isn’t expected to return until sometime after the All-Star break.

The 38-year-old was expected to miss an extended period, and the Diamondbacks need him to fill his spot on the roster with Peter Solomon and José Ruiz joining the 26-man roster.

Melancon was shut down from throwing earlier this month due to a right shoulder strain and there isn’t a definitive timetable for his return.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that Melancon will receive a PRP injection to deal with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder. There isn’t an official timetable for his return to Arizona’s bullpen yet. Melancon’s absence opens the door for likely Scott McGough or Andrew Chafin to step into the closing role at the outset of the year.

Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen told reporters that the extent of Melancon’s shoulder injury remains unclear, but he’s likely to miss the start of the regular season. Arizona isn’t planning to name a set closer this year, but fantasy managers can cross Melancon off the list of potential closing candidates. It’ll likely come down to either Scott McGough or Andrew Chafin for saves at the outset of the season.

In case you were wondering whether Melancon might reemerge as the Diamondbacks’ closer, there wouldn’t seem to be much reason for optimism. He was actually fine in the role before manager Torey Lovullo decided to go in a different direction last summer, but Melancon hasn’t given him any reason since to reconsider. Melancon’s fastest pitch today was 89.5 mph, and his average fastball was down 2.3 mph from last year.

“We’re gonna be fluid in that area,” Lovullo said. “What I’ve done for the past six years is, I’ve always had a closer. That’s just how my mind works. But I’ve got to evolve a little bit in that area. So if I feel the need to I will [name a closer], if somebody emerges I might, but for right now it’s very fluid. I haven’t yet made up my mind about naming somebody as our ninth-inning guy.” The Diamondbacks are ostensibly holding an open competition this spring between Melancon, Andrew Chafin, Kevin Ginkel, Scott McGough and Joe Mantiply for the role.

It’s his 18th save total. Since losing his closing gig with a rough showing in a non-save situation on Aug. 20, Melancon has a 2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 innings. It should be noted, though, that he’s struck out just four of the 50 batters he’s faced during that span.

Melancon was called upon to guide the D-Backs home with a 3-2 advantage entering the bottom of the ninth inning. The veteran reliever did his job without issue while improving to 17-of-20 in save chances this summer. He holds a ho-hum 4.32 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 30/16 K/BB ratio in 46 appearances.