Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Joe Mantiply named All-Star reserve
Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Joe Mantiply just wanted to get the All-Star announcement over with.
Mantiply was unsure of whether he’d be chosen to represent the Diamondbacks as a reserve in the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on July 19. If he got the opportunity, it would be a career milestone for the 31-year-old who was signed as a minor league free agent in January 2020.
But he also wanted to keep his mind right in his throwing session 15 minutes prior to the meeting.
“Once I got the text that we had a team meeting, that’s when I was like, Alright, I’m going to hurry up and get this over with and see who it is,” Mantiply said.
More: Once an afterthought, Diamondbacks' Joe Mantiply has been one of baseball's best relievers
When Torey Lovullo called everyone in, he gave hints on who was chosen with an introduction and background of the player selected. With Mantiply’s storied background that included many years in the minor leagues, it wasn’t hard to figure out.
"It just speaks volumes for him and I said it in the best way I knew how, it’s a story of perseverance. Through the organization, a lot of times guys would get frustrated and shut down and not be the best version of themselves. Joe continues to pound away and he wants to get better every day," Lovullo said.
Lovullo spoke with other managers and coaches around prior to the announcement and heard about the strong consideration that Mantiply was getting. As hard as it is for a middle reliever to get selected to the event, Mantiply earned his way after leading the Diamondbacks pitchers with an ERA of 1.91.
Mantiply immediately called up his wife following the announcement.
“She teared up a little bit. She’s been there every step of the way, every step through my pro career, she’s been right by my side pushing me. This means as much to her as it does to me, I’m sure,” Mantiply said.
Additionally, Mantiply’s parents were in attendance at Sunday’s game.
Mantiply has persevered in his baseball career, playing for three different teams in five years in the big leagues. He spent a considerable amount of time in the minor leagues with 219 games under his belt dating to 2013.
He was dealt a massive setback in the winter of 2019 when he had Tommy John surgery while moving through the ranks of the minor leagues. The three months after he returned from injury, he was traded from the Reds to the Yankees, called up, designated for assignment, passed through waivers, assigned to Triple-A and released into minor league free agency.
“You always dream that obviously this is something that you can do, it’s hard to look forward and predict that for yourself. Through surgery and all that, I just wanted to get back on the field and get back to the big leagues. I felt like I always had something to prove at the big league level. I thought I could pitch well and be a very good player. To see all of that unfold and come to fruition has been rewarding,” Mantiply said.
Mantiply has broken out this season after spending two years in the Diamondbacks organization. He owns the MLB record for most consecutive appearances by a left-handed pitcher without a walk with 33. One of his most remarkable stretches in the first half of the season was when he held batters scoreless in a 17-game stretch spanning from early May to mid-June.
“This is a humbling game and as soon as you step back at look at how well you’re doing or how bad you’re doing, the game will bite you. I’m trying to stay focused on every game and I’ve been humbled a lot by this game. I just look forward to the next game and go out and try to get people out,” Mantiply said.
Herrera back in lineup
Catcher José Herrera was back in the lineup Sunday after he left Friday's game with a knee bruise following a collision at home plate with the Rockies' José Iglesias.
Lovullo said he likes Herrera's defensive development, which has continued in the big leagues with bench coach Jeff Banister. Herrera got a boost of confidence in becoming Bumgarner's catcher for many of his starts and handles the pitching staff well.
"Innately I think he's a very confident kid," Lovullo said of Herrera. "Catching and throwing speaks for itself, but there are some leadership qualities that he shows every single day. He's a bat-to-ball type of a hitter and he continues to learn about what it takes to be a very good major league player. There's a lot of excitement around him, but he's got to continue to grow."
Bumgarner's mentality
Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner was asked after Saturday's game if he had anything left in his arm after getting through seven innings and 107 pitches in his win over the Rockies.
"You're asking the wrong guy," said Bumgarner, who isn't scheduled to pitch against his former team, the San Francisco Giants, in next week's three-game series that starts Monday. "I feel like I could throw unlimited amount of pitches. I'm going to say that anyway, even if I knew that I didn't ... I'm always going to feel like I've got more in me."
Bumgarner understood he wasn't likely to go back out for the eighth inning and said he and Lovullo work well together as far communication and honesty with each other.
Short hops
*The Diamondbacks made a roster move Sunday, recalling RHP Edwin Uceta from Triple-A Reno after optioning RHP Sean Poppen to Reno after Saturday night's game.
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2022 MLB All-Star: Diamondbacks reliever Joe Mantiply named reserve
