Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (elbow) is expected to miss at least 12 or 13 months with a UCL sprain in his right elbow. Martinez is still seeking second opinions, but it looks like we won't see the 23-year-old closer until the second half of the 2026 season. He had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2021, but it's unclear if he'll be undergoing another surgery. Martinez features a fastball that touches triple digits, a high-velocity slider and a nasty splitter. The Dominican hurler will finish 2025 with a 4.11 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, five saves and 22 strikeouts in only 15 1/3 innings pitched. He had eight saves and nine holds in 73 innings with Arizona in 2024. With lefty A.J. Puk (elbow) still on the injured list, the D-backs are moving forward with veteran Shelby Miller as their primary closer. Martinez can be dropped in single-year fantasy leagues.UPDATE: Martinez will undergo another Tommy John surgery, according to Lovullo.

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Tuesday that they placed right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. Right-hander Christian Montes De Oca (elbow) was also placed on the 15-day IL, while right-handers Kevin Ginkel, Bryce Jarvis and Tayler Scott were all called up from Triple-A Reno. Righty Jeff Brigham was optioned to Reno. Martinez injured his elbow during his outing in Monday's extra-inning win over the Seattle Mariners and is likely to be out well into the second half of the season. The 23-year-old will go for a second opinion after his MRI exam, according to manager Torey Lovullo, which is an ominous sign. Martinez could be looking at Tommy John surgery in the future. With lefty A.J. Puk (elbow) still out, veteran ... [More]

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez (elbow) was forced to leave Monday's game against Seattle with the training staff after dealing with elbow tightness. Martinez said he "felt bad" after the game, but it wasn't clear if he meant his arm or the fact that he had to leave the game. The 23-year-old closer spent time on the injured list last month with shoulder inflammation, but it isn't clear if this injury will cause him to miss time or just require a few days of rest. If he's out, Shelby Miller would be next up for saves out of Arizona's bullpen.UPDATE: Martinez will undergo an MRI exam on his right elbow.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez recorded his first save since returning from the injured list last week, bringing his season total to four. This was promising to see, especially after allowing two runs to blow a save in his first appearance back on May 24. The 23-year-old could be a top-10 closer for fantasy if he can gain full control of the job, which he briefly did before suffering his injury. A.J. Puk still isn't close to returning from his elbow injury, which makes Shelby Miller the main competition for saves. Martinez is coming off of a 2024 season where he posted an elite 2.48 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings, so make sure he's not sitting on the waiver wire in your leagues.

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Friday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Christian Montes De Oca to Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move. Martinez last pitched in the big leagues on April 30 but was shut down with inflammation in his right shoulder. With lefty A.J. Puk (elbow) still on the shelf, the 23-year-old high-leverage relief arm should see most of the team's save opportunities moving forward now that he's back. He tossed two scoreless innings on his minor-league rehab assignment, with the most important news being the fact that he reached 101.1 mph with his sinker at Triple-A Reno. Even if the D-backs ease Martinez back into closing situations after his IL stint, he should eventually be the favorite for saves, at least until Puk is able to return.

The Arizona Republic's Jose M. Romero writes that Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) could come off the injured list as soon as Friday's series opener in St. Louis against the Cardinals. Manager Torey Lovullo said as much after Wednesday's series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Martinez hit 100 mph or more five times during his 13-pitch minor-league rehab appearance with Triple-A Reno on Tuesday, which is a great sign that he's past his right-shoulder inflammation. Before landing on the IL, his velocity had dropped into the mid-90s. Martinez has been on the IL since May 1 and is eligible to be activated at any time. With lefty A.J. Puk (elbow) still on the shelf, Martinez will be in line for primary closing duties in Arizona when he returns, so he should be rostered in all fantasy formats.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) will face live hitters on Wednesday and throw somewhere around 15 to 18 pitches, according to manager Torey Lovullo. It comes after Martinez said his first bullpen session on Sunday went "real well." Barring a setback once he starts facing live hitters this week, the 23-year-old is expected to return when he's eligible to come off the 15-day injured list on Friday, May 16, which means he likely won't be sent out on a minor-league rehab assignment. The D-backs put Martinez on the shelf in the beginning of May due to right-shoulder inflammation. With lefty A.J. Puk (elbow) quite a ways behind Martinez in his recovery from an elbow injury, Martinez should assume primary closing duties in the desert when he returns to Arizona's bullpen. Before his injury, he had three saves and 11 K's in 10 innings of work.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez (shoulder) was recently placed on the 15-day injured list. The right-hander is dealing with right shoulder inflammation, but hopefully he won't be sidelined for too long. He underwent additional imaging that didn't show any significant damage. That being said, Martinez is reportedly going to begin a throwing program this week. It's unclear if Martinez will need to go on a rehab assignment before returning. He isn't eligible to return until the middle of May, so it wouldn't be shocking to see Martinez throw a few minor league games. In the meantime, the D-Backs are likely going to use a committee approach at the closer which involves Ryan Thompson, Shelby Miller, Jalen Beeks, and Kevin Ginkel.

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Thursday that they placed right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list with right-shoulder inflammation and selected the contract of left-hander Jose Castillo from Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move. The D-backs also moved left-hander A.J. Puk (elbow) to the 60-day IL. Martinez downplayed his recent drop in velocity, but Arizona was concerned enough after the 23-year-old gave up three earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking four and striking out none in just one inning in his last two appearances after not allowing a single run with 11 K's and two walks in his first 10 innings in 2025. Hopefully, Martinez will have a minimum stay on the IL. But with both Martinez and Puk now on the shelf, Ryan Thompson, Shelby Miller, Jalen Beeks and Kevin Ginkel could all be part of a closer committee. Thompson picked up the save on Wednesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) said he feels great despite dealing with shoulder fatigue recently, but with his velocity down, the skipper said that imaging and/or an injured-list stint are possible. The D-backs continue to evaluate Martinez, and an IL stint can't be ruled out. The 23-year-old Dominican gave up his first run of the season, walked two and hit a batter on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves but still managed to hold on for his third save of the year in the 6-4 win. He entered for another save chance on Wednesday night against the New York Mets but allowed two earned runs on a homer while walking two without recording an out before Ryan Thompson came entered to close things out. It's looking more and more like that Martinez is going to need a trip to the IL, and with A.J. Puk (elbow) already out, Thompson, Shelby Miller and Jalen Beeks could be candidates for saves in Arizona moving forward.

Arizona Diamondbacks closer Justin Martinez recorded the saveon Sunday in a 6-4 victory over the Braves, although it wasn't without some drama. The righty allowed four of the first five batters to reach base (one HBP, two walks, one double) with one run coming in to score, but was able to mix in a ground ball double play and a lineout with the tying runs on base to end the game. It was the first earned run allowed of the year, although he allowed an unearned run to score on a wild pitch the night before in a game that he was charged with the loss. The 6-foot-3 hurler was dominant to start the year, registering a 1:10 BB:K over seven innings pitched, but after a bout of arm fatiguecost him a week of action, the Dominican fireballer has a 3:1 BB:K over the three innings logged since his return to the mound. Hopefully this isn't a sign of an injury, but it is definitely a situation to monitor, as the job should be his alone with A.J. Puk on the injured list.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that "all indications" are that right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) will be available out of the bullpen for Tuesday's game against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. "I feel very strongly that today could be the day for him to come back," Lovullo said. Martinez hasn't pitched since last Thursday due to right-shoulder fatigue, but it appears the 23-year-old high-leverage reliever won't need a trip to the injured list just yet. Left-hander A.J. Puk (elbow) went on the injured list on Saturday, which led to Drey Jameson picking up the save on Sunday when Martinez was unavailable with what could be a case of early-season dead arm. If Martinez gets past the issue, he should be first in line for save opportunities in the back end of Arizona's bullpen until Puk is able to return. Martinez hasn't allowed a run in his first seven innings with 10 K's and two saves.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed reliever Justin Martinez (shoulder) is dealing with right-shoulder fatigue that could just be a dead-arm phase early in the season, and manager Torey Lovullo said it's possible that he'll be available out of the bullpen on Wednesday if the team needs him against the Tampa Bay Rays. Lovullo also said that Martinez is "very, very close" to being 100 percent, which is good news considering that left-hander A.J. Puk (elbow) landed on the injured list over the weekend. Martinez should see most of Arizona's save chances going forward if he can get past his shoulder issue with Puk sidelined. When Martinez was unavailable for a save opportunity on Sunday against the Cubs, Drey Jameson got the call and closed the door. In addition to Jameson, Shelby Miller, Jalen Beeks and Ryan Thompson could be options in the ninth if Martinez can't get past his shoulder issue.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-handed reliver Justin Martinez was not available in Sunday's victory over the Chicago Cubs due to "fatigue" and a recent heavy workload. Team trainers told Lovullo that Martinez needed another day off, but the team didn't send him for any testing or imaging. The 23-year-old Dominican last threw a third of an inning on April 17 to pick up a hold against the Miami Marlins, so it's a bit curious that Lovullo mentioned his recent heavy workload. With left-hander A.J. Puk (elbow) going on the 15-day injured list on Saturday and Martinez being unavailable on Sunday, righty Drey Jameson picked up the save on Easter against the Cubs. Martinez should be available to pitch in Tuesday's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, but if he isn't and is dealing with an injury, Jameson, Shelby Miller and Jalen Beeks could be options for saves in Arizona.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez was not available on Sunday due to fatigue and a heavy workload, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Arizona won 3-2 in an 11-inning game against the Cubs, so it raised some alarms when Martinez never saw the field. It's still odd for him to be dealing with fatigue, considering he hasn't pitched in a game since Thursday, so the situation is worth monitoring. This would be bad timing if it is a more serious injury, as Martinez just became the full-time closer with A.J. Puk landing on the injured list with left elbow inflammation.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez will be sticking around with the organization for a few more seasons. The two sides have agreed on a five-year, $18 million extension on Friday. The deal also includes two player options for $7 and $9 million for 2030 and 2031. This deal will lock up Martinez through his pre-arbitration and arbitration years. The expectation is that Martinez is going to be the primary closer in Arizona. He registered a 2.48 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 91/36 K/BB ratio across 64 appearances with the D-Backs last season. Fantasy managers can safely assume that Martinez should be getting plenty of save chances in Arizona to start the season.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez collected his sixth save of the season on Sunday, closing out the Boston Red Sox in a 7-5 victory. Martinez allowed a solo homer to Tyler O'Neill but didn't allow another baserunner and came away with the save. It appears that the 23-year-old is in control of the D-Backs closer role for now, as he has six saves since August 5 and no one else on the team has one. He is a must-roster player in any league where saves count and should be able to hold onto the job as long as he limits walks.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez picked up his first save of the season in a 7-6 extra-inning win against the Cleveland Guardians. After the recent struggles of relief pitcher Paul Sewald, the closer job is there for the taking in the desert. Martinez received his first opportunity after Ryan Thompson blew the save Monday, allowing one run in one inning after surrendering a triple to catcher Bo Naylor followed by a sac fly. The 23-year-old allowed one walk and two strikeouts to record the second save of his career. It may not be apparent for a bit who will cement their feet into the closer role for the Diamondbacks, but after Monday's game, Martinez gave himself a leg up on the competition.