Paul Sewald is making a strong case for being the best closer in baseball, as he has been exceptional in the Diamondbacks’ bullpen since returning from the IL.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Sewald initially missed over a month at the start of the year due to a Grade 2 oblique strain suffered in spring training. After allowing a run in his first appearance back on May 7th, he has been unhittable for opposing offenses.
The 34-year-old veteran has tossed 10.1 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing zero extra-base hits in this span and striking out 10 batters. Sewald has already collected seven saves, and his season ERA stands at a mere 0.87.
Since Sewald’s return to the bullpen, the Diamondbacks have posted a 14-13 record.
He's literally just Paul Sewald. pic.twitter.com/BGzHIYddzC
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 8, 2024
Sewald was acquired by Arizona at the trade deadline last season. His presence was immediately felt, with Joe Mantiply crediting Sewald for the stability Arizona’s bullpen saw during their 2023 postseason run. Mantiply noted, “I think the addition of Sewald and then having Ginkel in the 8th inning, Sewald to the ninth. When you have that stability in the back end of your bullpen, it really takes the pressure off the rest of us.”
While the same stability may be different this season, with Kevin Ginkel not having the best year, Sewald’s remarkable consistency has allowed the D-backs to stay competitive in the NL Wild Card race.
Gone are the days of close 9th inning games being a toss-up, which was often the experience when Andrew Chafin was the D-backs’ primary closer before Sewald’s arrival.
The Diamondbacks, while still four games below .500, are just 1.5 games back from a Wild Card spot. In one-run games, they are 11-7 this season, with Sewald closing out five of those wins.
