​SAN DIEGO — The Diamondbacks made a roster shuffle Thursday, July 9, optioning right-hander Jose Cabrera to Triple-A Reno and recalling left-hander Philip Abner. The move adds an extra reliever to the bullpen just as the All-Star break looms, a period during which Arizona won’t need a fifth starter for almost two weeks.
Cabrera has struggled since being moved into the rotation last month, posting a 5.60 ERA across four starts. His latest form has been inconsistent, highlighted by a rough outing on Wednesday night, July 8, when he yielded four runs in 4 1/3 innings. With the team’s upcoming schedule in mind, the Diamondbacks will not require a fifth starter until July 21. Right-hander Michael Soroka remains on the injured list with a glute injury and isn’t expected to be ready by that date.
The team could choose to bring Cabrera back later, but there is also the option to explore alternatives. Left-hander Mitch Bratt has been performing well in Triple-A Reno, delivering eight scoreless innings across two starts since his major league debut in St. Louis on June 24.
Looking ahead to matchups, Arizona’s Merrill Kelly (6-8, 5.71) is set to face the San Diego Padres, with Griffin Canning (1-6, 6.71) on the other side. In their latest game at Petco Park, Kelly yielded two runs in five innings, navigating around eight hits and two walks while striking out six. That outing followed a difficult June in which he posted a 7.31 ERA over five starts. Kelly has a solid track record against the Padres, owning a 3.41 ERA in 18 career starts against San Diego, including a 3.75 ERA in two starts last season. Canning, who pitched to a 3.77 ERA in 76 1/3 innings with the Mets last season, has not reproduced that success with the Padres in 2026, into his 51 innings this year. In his most recent appearance, Canning worked after an opener and allowed one run across four innings against the Dodgers. He sits around 94.3 mph with his four-seam fastball and features a mix of six other pitches, with his slider producing the most whiffs.
Upcoming schedule notes:
– Friday, July 10: In Los Angeles at 7:10 p.m., Arizona will start LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (7-3, 2.25) against Dodgers RHP Shohei Ohtani (8-2, 1.79).
– Saturday, July 11: In Los Angeles at 6:10 p.m., the D-backs will send RHP Brandon Pfaadt (2-1, 4.84) to the mound against Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-5, 2.49).
– Sunday, July 12: In Los Angeles at 1:10 p.m., Zac Gallen (3-9, 6.34) will duel Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.91).
Note: This article has been updated to include the roster move and related context. The original report appeared on Arizona Republic in the live updates section for the Diamondbacks at Padres. The latest update also notes the intent to consider Cabrera’s return in the future while evaluating other pitching options, including Bratt’s strong Triple-A performance and the continuing need for bullpen depth during the upcoming stretch of the schedule.