Arizona Diamondbacks

Major League Baseball will take over the broadcasting of Arizona Diamondbacks games after a bankruptcy judge approved Diamond Sports Group's petition to discard its contract with the club, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

Diamondbacks games will be available through the league's MLB.TV streaming service and several cable options, including Cox, DirecTV, Spectrum and Comcast Xfinity, per ESPN.

MLB is set to take over broadcasting games when the Diamondbacks face the Atlanta Braves at Truist park on Tuesday.

Steve Berthiaume and Bob Brenly will continue to be used as Arizona's broadcasters. It will also use many of the same workers to maintain the club's broadcasts for the remainder of the year.

The Diamondbacks and Diamond Sports Group were in the midst of a reported 20-year, $1.5 billion contract that began in 2015. A spokesperson for Diamond Sports told ESPN that its contract with the D-backs "had financial terms that were not aligned with its long-term plans."

Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall wrote in a statement:

This decision provides us with an opportunity to partner with Major League Baseball to produce high-quality broadcasts of D-backs games on current platforms, expand access to include streaming options, and remove blackouts that have been a fan frustration point for years. We have enjoyed our partnership with Bally Sports Arizona and thank them for the longtime partnership. But we look forward to providing unprecedented access to our exciting team moving forward, including a greatly expanded reach of new households.

Diamond Sports Group, a subsidiary of Sinclair that operates under Bally Sports, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March. It initially owned the broadcasting rights for 14 MLB clubs before shedding the San Diego Padres in May and now the Diamondbacks.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in February that the league had a plan in place for teams impacted by Diamond Sports Group filing for bankruptcy. The plan included streaming options and trying to get games on local cable television.

Manfred said at the time, according to Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports:

We've been really clear that if Diamond doesn't pay, under every single one of the broadcast agreements, that creates a termination right, and our clubs will proceed to terminate those contracts. In the event that MLB stepped in, what we would do is we would produce the games, we would make use of our asset, the MLB Network, to do that. We would go directly to distributors — meaning Comcast, Charter, the big distributors — and make an agreement to have those games distributed on cable networks.

We would also be seeking flexibility on the digital side, so that when you look at MLB.tv, you'd go in, you can buy your out-of-market package like you've always had, but you would have the option to buy up into in-market games, which I see as a huge improvement for fans.

The Diamondbacks are in the midst of their best season since the 2017 campaign when they finished second in the National League West with a 93-69 record. They currently sit third in the NL West with a 52-42 record, 2.5 games back of the first place Los Angeles Dodgers.

Despite their best efforts, the club is located in one of MLB's smaller markets and it was expected to be impacted by the decline of regional sports networks. The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, among others, could also eventually be impacted.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will extend manager Torey Lovullo's contract through the 2024 MLB season, according to the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro and MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.

Piecoro noted this is the third straight year in which Arizona gave him an extension.

The Diamondbacks are tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West at 35-24.

Lovullo is already the longest-tenured manager in franchise history, having led the team for 929 games.

He was the National League Manager of the Year in 2017, his first year with the D-backs, after they won 93 games and claimed a wild-card berth. They were ultimately swept by the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

Arizona hasn't finished over .500 since 2019, though, with the organization pivoting toward a full rebuild. The nadir came in 2021 as Lovullo oversaw a 52-win squad.

The front office obviously hasn't lost faith in the 57-year-old, though, and that trust is getting repaid now. Even if the Diamondbacks are unable to maintain their current pace, FanGraphs gives them a 64 percent chance of reaching the postseason.

Corbin Carroll is the standout offensive performer so far with nine home runs and a .282/.368/.503 slash line through 56 games. Meanwhile, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are first and second in ESPN's Cy Young predictor.

The Diamondbacks' success is no mirage, and Lovullo will continue to guide them on their path toward playoff contention.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen unintentionally hit and killed a bird with a baseball during warmups ahead of Wednesday's game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

While warming up in the outfield ahead of Arizona's 5-3 win over Oakland, Gallen threw a curveball that hit and killed a bird in midflight.

"I don't really know what happened, honestly," Gallen said, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. "I just know that the ball changed directions really. I saw what happened. It's kind of a freak accident. It's unfortunate."

Former Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson also famously hit and killed a bird during a spring training game in 2001. He tossed a pitch that collided with a bird flying across home plate in a matchup against the San Francisco Giants.

Gallen, 27, is having a solid season in Arizona, posting a 6-1 record with a 2.35 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 57.1 innings across nine starts.

The Diamondbacks sit second in the NL West with a 25-19 record, three games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner for assignment, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.

Arizona has seven days to either find a trade for the left-hander or see him claimed off waivers by another team. Should he clear waivers, the Diamondbacks can release him outright or send him to the minors.

Bumgarner has $34 million total remaining on his current contract, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

This will bring an end to the four-time All-Star's underwhelming run in Arizona. Over four years, he's 15-32 with a 5.23 ERA, 5.18 FIP and an 80 ERA+, according to Baseball Reference.

Bumgarner has endured a brutal start to the 2023 season, and it quickly became apparent his time with the Diamondbacks was winding down. There wasn't much sense in waiting around to release him because the remainder of his original five-year, $85 million deal was bound to be a sunk cost one way or the other.

Assuming he finds his way to free agency, the 33-year-old will be able to sign with another team for the league minimum ($720,000). Even then, he may not have a robust market.

In 16.2 innings, Bumgarner has allowed 19 earned runs and 15 walks. His most recent start saw him surrender seven earned runs over three innings of work in a 14-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

The southpaw might be a three-time World Series champion and the 2014 World Series MVP, but his best days look firmly behind him. According to Baseball Savant, he allowed an expected batting average of .276 and an expected slugging percentage of .488 last year, both ranking in the bottom seven percent.

The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, plan to have Tommy Henry take Bumgarner's place in the starting rotation, per Piecoro.

Henry went 3-4 with a 5.36 ERA and 5.88 FIP in nine MLB starts in 2022. The right-hander has started four games for the Triple-A Reno Aces and sports a 6.33 ERA so far.

Madison Bumgarner's future with the Arizona Diamondbacks looks to be uncertain after he allowed seven runs over three innings in Wednesday's 14-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was noncommittal when asked about Bumgarner's status going forward.

"I don't know," Lovullo told reporters. "I don't know. As we do with every situation after every start, we group up as a staff and then sit down with the front office and figure out what to do next. That's what we're gonna end up doing. ... The staff will sit down and figure out what's going to give us the best option in five days. We do the same thing after every start, and we'll do that again."

Bumgarner has a 10.26 ERA with 25 hits allowed, 15 walks and 10 strikeouts in 16.2 innings through four starts this season.

Since signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the Diamondbacks as a free agent in December 2019, Bumgarner has struggled to recapture the form that made him one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.

The four-time All-Star has a 5.23 ERA with more hits allowed (385) than innings pitched (363.1) in 69 starts since 2020. His average fastball velocity is down to 89.5 mph, and he's throwing it a career-low 33.1 percent of the time.

Per Baseball Savant, opposing hitters have a hard-hit percentage of 43.8 percent and barrel rate of 12.5 percent against Bumgarner this season. The former is the highest rate against him since Statcast tracking began in 2015.

Arizona's top three starting pitchers—Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Ryne Nelson—have combined to allow just three more earned runs (22) in 62.2 innings than Bumgarner has in his 16.2 innings.

Bumgarner is owed $23 million this season and $14 million in 2024. D-Backs general manager Mike Hazen told reporters earlier this month the southpaw's contract wouldn't impact any decisions they might make.

"We need to win baseball games," Hazen said. "We're trying to win every single baseball game we're going out to play. We want the five guys in the rotation to solidify those spots and give us some stability there. … We'll continue to assess it as we go. But we need to win baseball games."

If the Diamondbacks don't want to release Bumgarner, they could use a different pitcher at his spot in the rotation to give him time to work on his game. He could also move to the bullpen as a potential multi-inning reliever.

Despite Bumgarner's struggles, Arizona currently leads the National League West in the early stages of this season with an 11-8 record.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have sent starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner back home for further medical evaluation after he cited arm fatigue following his road start on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Reuters (h/t ESPN.com).

Bumgarner gave up five earned runs, four hits and four walks in four innings of a 10-1 loss in his first start of the year.

"My mechanics were fine. It was just one of those days you have during the year, and mine just happened to be the first one," Bumgarner said after the game. "It wasn't like I went out there and threw the ball really well, but I was just one pitch away in the first of it being a completely different game. After that, it wasn't bad."

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that Bumgarner "very strongly" believes that he won't miss a turn in the rotation. He's in line to start against the Dodgers again, this time at home on Friday.

The veteran stayed relatively healthy in 2022, making 30 starts while totaling 158.2 innings. Both were the most in three years after signing with the Diamondbacks.

Shoulder problems limited Bumgarner to 26 starts in 2021, while a back strain slowed him down during the shortened 2020 season.

It was a major difference after pitching at least 200 innings in seven of his last nine years with the San Francisco Giants. The left-hander was one of the best starters in the majors during that time, earning four All-Star selections while playing a key role in three World Series titles.

Bumgarner had a 3.13 ERA across 11 seasons in San Francisco, but he had just a 4.98 mark across his first three years in Arizona.

Another injury would represent another setback for the 33-year-old, who is a key part of a rotation that already has a lot of question marks. It puts pressure on Zac Gallen and the rest of the pitching staff to pick up the slack for Arizona if Bumgarner has to miss any time.

The new lights at Dodger Stadium are getting mixed reviews.

As the Los Angeles Dodgers earned an 8-2 Opening Day win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, the flickering LED lights overhead became a significant story among the players and managers.

"I loved them," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. "The lights were amazing. In the middle of a play, we got a little aggressive with the dimmers. But better them than us."

The mid-play flickering got the most attention, notably after an RBI single by Will Smith in the fifth inning.

"I was kind of shocked," Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen said of the lights. "I mean, it doesn't seem like it would be something that MLB's going to allow. I did notice that."

"I mean, it's the home crowd, they're going to do what they can for the advantage," Gallen added.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he plans to bring the issue up with the front office.

"I wasn't too pleased about that," he said.

The Diamondbacks also had an issue with the lights during a pitching change in the eighth. Catcher Gabriel Moreno couldn't see the pitches well, and he asked the umpire to have the situation fixed.

Dodger Stadium personnel will likely continue using the new light show throughout the season, although they might need to be more careful about when it's used.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and outfielder Corbin Carroll, MLB's No. 2 overall prospect, have agreed to an eight-year, $111 million guaranteed contract extension, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.

The deal also includes a club option for 2031 that would bring the total to $134 million. It is the largest contract ever signed by a player with under 100 days of major league service time, per Gilbert.

Carroll appeared in just 32 games for the Diamondbacks last season.

Other players who have signed long-term extensions with less than one year of MLB service time include Tampa Bay Rays star Wander Franco (11 years, $182 million) and Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert (six years, $50 million).

The Diamondbacks selected Carroll in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft out of Lakeside School in Seattle.

The 22-year-old began the 2022 campaign with Double-A Hillsboro before making the jump to Triple-A Reno. In 33 Triple-A appearances, he slashed .287/.408/.535 with seven home runs, 22 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Carroll was called up to the Diamondbacks in August and was solid during his short stint with the club in 2022, slashing .260/.330/.500 with four home runs, 14 RBI and two stolen bases in 32 games.

The Diamondbacks began play during the 1998 season and have been one of MLB's least successful franchises since then despite winning the World Series in 2001. The franchise hasn't made the playoffs since 2017 and has made the postseason just two other times in the last two decades.

With Carroll locked up, the Diamondbacks expect him to anchor the outfield and become a franchise player alongside shortstop Jordan Lawler and outfielder Druw Jones. Lawler is MLB's No. 11-ranked prospect, while Jones is the league's No. 15-ranked prospect.

Lawler, 20, is expected to break into MLB in 2024, while Jones, 19, is expected to break onto the scene in 2026.

The Diamondbacks open the 2023 season on March 30 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll has yet to play a full season in the majors, but the team is already hoping to lock him up for the foreseeable future.

According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, "the Diamondbacks have engaged Carroll in conversations about a long-term contract." However, Piecoro added that "details about the negotiations are not known and a deal does not appear imminent."

MLB.com ranks Carroll as the No. 2 overall prospect in baseball. He appeared in 32 games last season after making his debut in August, and he slashed .260/.330/.500 with four home runs, nine doubles and two triples. The 22-year-old is set to open 2023 as Arizona's primary left fielder.

It was once a rarity that youngsters would sign long-term deals early in their careers, but that has changed in recent years. Piecoro pointed out that Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez and Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco are among the players who've "signed contracts after relatively little service time."

Carroll has less experience than either of those players did when they received their extensions, so Piecoro noted that his "value might be closer to that of players who signed extensions before reaching the majors, such as those given to [Chicago] White Sox outfielders Luis Robert (six years, $50 million) and Eloy Jimenez (six years, $43 million)."

Many believe Carroll is a future All-Star who will excel both at the plate and in the field, so it makes sense that Arizona would want to keep him in the fold long term. He would be a major part of helping the Diamondbacks climb out of the depths of the majors, as the team hasn't finished with a record above .500 since 2019.