SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks bolstered their lineup throughout the offseason in both the pitching and hitting department yet there is still one undecided position for the upcoming 2024 campaign.
The Diamondbacks' No. 5 starting role is up for grabs and it will likely be decided between pitchers Ryne Nelson and Tommy Henry.
Manager Torey Lovullo told 12News the two are a close pair yet they also understand the demands that come with the highly coveted position.
"Each of them know what they need to work on this spring," Lovullo said. "The consistency of it will be the next step and that's through the course of the entire spring."
The first four spots in the rotation are all settled, with right-handers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly expected to lead the way followed by newly-acquired left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.
While the two men vying for the job both have solid resumes to bring to the table, but all signs point to Henry being the front-runner for the job (as long as he remains healthy).
"I'm the type of guy that tries not to focus on that stuff," Henry said. "I try to make the most of today and if I can stack that up as many times as I can, I'll like where I am or accept the fate whatever happens at the end of spring training."
Henry brings experience with him into camp with the better statistics between the two. In 17 games (16 starts), Henry logged a 4.15 ERA last season and he owns a 4.57 ERA in 136 innings in his career. While Nelson posted a 5.31 ERA in 29 games (27 starts).
Nelson brings a little more velocity to his pitching arsenal with his average speed clocking in around 94.4 mph while Henry's average is roughly 91 mph. But Henry and Nelson aren't focused on the competition, but rather on the growth made throughout camp in preparation for the 2024 season.
"You're kind of always in competition with each other and I don't think it's anything new," Nelson said. "We bounce ideas off of each other and I don't think either of us see it as a competition, more so getting as good as we possibly can."
Lovullo said a decision will be made near the end of camp or when one of the two demonstrates they are the frontrunner for the job based on performance.
The Diamondbacks will hold their first full workout of Spring Training on Monday, Feb. 19.
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