Brad Boxberger will be the Arizona Diamondbacks' closing pitcher heading into the 2018 regular season, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo announced Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Boxberger was acquired by the D-backs in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in November. He has six years of MLB experience and was an All-Star selection with the Rays in 2015 when he notched 41 saves.
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Boxberger has a career 3.19 ERA. He went 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA in 30 appearances (not in a closing role) with the Rays last season. He went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in six appearances during Cactus League play with the D-backs.
Boxberger appeared to be one of three pitchers in contention for the D-backs' closing role, along with Archie Bradley, last year's eighth-inning specialist, and newcomer Yoshihisa Hirano, who starred in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.
Lovullo said Bradley will remain in the same role this season, while Hirano will also play a key late-inning role for the D-backs.
Torey Lovullo names Brad Boxberger as the @Dbacks closer and will keep Archie Bradley in the versatile role he held a year ago. pic.twitter.com/gvSE9sFqxq
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 27, 2018
