Notes: Ginkel loses control in '20 debut

D-backs reliever Kevin Ginkel had good stuff on Friday night in San Diego, but his location left something to be desired, and the lack of command hurt him as the Padres touched him for four runs in the seventh inning of a 7-2 D-backs loss.

In 25 outings for the D-backs after being promoted from Triple-A Reno in early August last season, Ginkel did not allow more than one run in any of his appearances while compiling a 1.48 ERA and becoming one of manager Torey Lovullo’s most trusted arms in the bullpen.

“I just think there were too many yanked pitches and too many pitches that were out of the zone from start to finish,” Lovullo said.

By contrast, Lovullo said Ginkel’s breaking pitches last year started out as strikes before diving or darting out of the zone near the plate.

“It just goes to show you, you can have great stuff, but if your command is off, good hitters are going to lay off stuff and you’re going to get trapped into throwing one pitch in one zone,” Lovullo said. “I think, for him right now, it’s about putting the ball on the plate and then using his secondary stuff the right way at the right time to finish off hitters.”

Happy birthday, Torey
Lovullo turned 55 on Saturday, and closer Archie Bradley said that second baseman Ketel Marte had a special greeting for the skipper.

“Ketel said, ‘Happy 70th birthday!’” Bradley said.

Different celebrations
With no fans in the stands and social distancing expected even in the clubhouse, Bradley was asked whether he had given any thought to how disappointing that could be to players making their big league debuts.

Heading into Saturday night's 5-1 loss to the Padres, the only member of the D-backs' 30-man roster who had yet to make his debut was pitcher Taylor Widener.

“We were joking we should get his parents to send us [cardboard] cutouts,” Bradley said. “So here in San Diego, we can put them in the stands and his parents can technically watch him make his debut, and then he can take a picture with them after the game. So that was my idea.”

Widener debuted with one out in the seventh inning and got a double play on his first big league pitch. Widener got Ty France to fly out to left field, and Tommy Pham, who was on first base, apparently forgot how many outs there were and was doubled off easily.

And about those postgame beer showers that those who get their first wins or hits usually get?

“We’ll give them Purell showers,” he said.

Up next
Zac Gallen gets the start for the D-backs as they continue their road series with the Padres at 1:10 p.m. MST on Sunday. Gallen was acquired by the D-backs at the Trade Deadline from the Marlins last season, and he went 2-2 with a 2.89 ERA in eight starts down the stretch. He'll square off against Padres right-hander Garrett Richards.