Arizon Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kyle Backhus entered Wednesday's game in the eighth inning and escaped a one-out jam with runners on first and second. He struck out Manny Machado to end that threat, but in the ninth inning, Ryan O'Hearn started the frame with his first homer as a Padre, which tied the game at 2-2. Xander Bogaerts followed with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt, Jose Iglesias drove in the go-ahead run. Backhus exited the game at that point, allowing two runs on three hits in one inning. He took the loss to drop to 0-2 on the season and now has a 4.70 ERA and 4.42 FIP in 15 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old lefty will stay in the mix in the Diamondbacks' closer timeshare. He and Kyle Nelson each earned their first saves of the season within the last week, but this outing from Backhus could lead to more chances for Nelson or ... [More]

The Arizona Diamondbacks are promoting left-handed pitcher Kyle Backhus to the major leagues. In a corresponding move, the Diamondbacks are designating catcher Aramis Garcia for assignment. Backhus has yet to appear in the major leagues. This season, the left-hander has been one of the most reliable bullpen arms in Triple-A Reno. Across 24 1/3 innings of work, Backhus has posted a strong 2.22 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP. Across this stint, he has struck out an impressive 36 batters while allowing just 10 free passes. Last season, he held a much higher 3.94 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP across 32 innings of work. Fantasy managers should expect Backhus to have a role as a middle-relief option in the Arizona bullpen. However, with A.J. Puk (elbow) still on the 60-day IL, Backhus could eventually become a top left-hander in the Arizona bullpen.