In trying to decide who should handle the ninth inning this year, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo leaned hard into old habits, going with a veteran for the closer’s job while opting to keep right-hander Archie Bradley in a versatile fireman role.
After employing Fernando Rodney and Brad Boxberger as closer the previous two years, the Diamondbacks this season will go with right-hander Greg Holland, a veteran who a half-decade ago was in the conversation for the best reliever in baseball. That will free up Lovullo to use Bradley and fellow setup man Yoshihisa Hirano in the seventh and eighth innings.