John Curtiss knew he would be in a position like this. A rocky 2024 season, up and down between the Colorado Rockies and Triple-A Albuquerque, only netted Curtiss a minor league contract with the Diamondbacks this spring.
He was not discouraged. On Sunday, seven months after the minor league contract was signed, he recorded his first save for the Diamondbacks against a daunting Philadelphia Phillies lineup.
Curtiss’ body of work this season is a true testament to the journeyman career path he has taken. He has never spent two spring trainings with the same team consecutively.
“Every spring I just have to go and reprove myself again,” Curtiss said.
The proof is on the paper this season with the Diamondbacks. The right-hander has pitched 35 innings – the most he’s pitched since his 2021 campaign with the Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers. Opponents are hitting .217 against him this season, which would be a career best for Curtiss if the season ended today. His WHIP (.94), BB/9 (1.3) and H/9 (7.2) are all in career best range with six games to play.
“Since he’s been called up he has been a guy we rely on, whether it be as closing role or middle of the game relief, he’s done it all and he’s been great,” Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt said.
Curtiss, 32, was not shy about how this opportunity presented itself. He pitched in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks last year in Denver’s Coors Field and in his three appearances, he did not record a strikeout. During his time in AAA with the Rockies affiliate, he posted a sub 4.00 ERA, which is not an easy task in the high altitudes of the Pacific Coast League.
“If you look at hitters, they get 600 plate appearances, but relievers get four innings,” Curtiss said. “So I don’t think some of the years where I haven’t gotten service time I wasn’t good enough to do it, it’s just the 29 pitches I threw for the Rockies last year didn’t go well enough.”
That’s the beauty of the reliever position. Trying to hold a 26-man active roster spot or even a 40-man roster spot as someone with such limited opportunities can be a challenge some will not embrace. Curtiss has embraced it head-on and is not looking to relinquish duties anytime soon. His seven appearances in September have been the second most from a Diamondbacks reliever, two behind Ryan Thompson.
The Diamondbacks have tied the franchise record for most pitchers used in a season at 41. Lovullo attributes that to calm demeanors across the bullpen.
“They are egoless,” Lovullo said. “I think they are just laid back, and when that phone rings, they are all eager and they are all ready to go.”
Curtiss has been a steady, dominating force for a bullpen that has seen so much turnover since the calendar turned to August. He’s given up eight earned runs since Aug. 1, four of them coming in one appearance against the Giants last week. Without that slip-up against the Giants, Curtiss’ ERA would be well below 3.00 in 35 innings pitched.
In Saturday’s game against the Phillies, Curtiss started warming up for a situation he has not been in yet. After Corbin Carroll lined out to end the eighth inning, Curtiss trotted from the bullpen in left field and onto the pitcher’s mound.
What proceeded is exactly what Curtiss thought he could do at the pro level while in AAA with the Rockies. Max Kepler softly rolled one over to first base, Otto Kemp flew out to center a few pitches later. Bryson Stott gave the Phillies life with a single, but the very next pitch Harrison Bader grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Seventeen pitches, one hit, one runner left on base, one save. His first save in five seasons, his first for the Diamondbacks.
Curtiss was asked if he thought this offseason he could still be valuable to contending teams and see himself pitching in big moments like Saturday against the Phillies.
“Yes,” he said, without hesitation.
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