Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo reiterated Saturday that Rodney is the team's closer and will receive the next save opportunity that arises, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis:
Rodney blew his second consecutive save in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Rockies, with the meltdown inflating his season ERA to 12.60 and his WHIP to 2.30. While Rodney ultimately went unused in Sunday's 13-inning win, it appears that was mostly a byproduct of having tossed 34 pitches the night before rather than any reluctance on Lovullo's part to turn to the veteran in a high-leverage siutation. Based on Lovullo's comments, it sounds as though Rodney will have some leeway to right the ship, but Rodney's fantasy owners shouldn't hesitate to begin eyeballing potential replacements. Archie Bradley (1.13 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 16 innings) and J.J. Hoover (1.86 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings) would seemingly be the top candidates to pick up saves if Rodney is eventually dumped from the closing role.
