2022 Diamondbacks Reviews, #52 Chris Devenski

Overview

• Rating: 2.24

• 2022 stats: 10 G, 10.2 IP, 7.59 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 1.406 WHIP, 9.00 SO/BB, 55 ERA+
• Date of birth: November 13, 1990 (just turned 32)
• 2022 earnings: $175,840 (via Spotrac)
• 2023 status: Free agent.

Introduction

Chris Devenski was a good reliever in 2015 and 2016 on the Houston Astros, but then a downward trend in his performance started that ultimately ended in him getting signed by Arizona in 2021...wait, that sounds bad, let me try this again...but then a downward trend in his performance started that ultimately ended in him looking for a new opportunity and the Diamondbacks were willing to give him that.

We all know how that played out. Jim wrote all about it in his 2021 player review of Chris Devenski but the most important thing to know is that he ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 5. He was released on October 8, but the Diamondbacks resigned him on a minor league contract on October 25.

2022 review

Devenski nailed the TJ timeline (at least he was successful at something in 2022) since he returned back into action in a couple of rehab games in the rookie leagues before he turned his nose to Reno and gave up 3 homeruns and 6 runs in 6 outings.

The Diamondbacks had seen enough of him and decided it was a great idea to call him up to the major league roster.

He joined the D-Backs on July 29 and his first four outings were actually rather fine, giving up no runs at all. But then the Pirates came by and from then on everything turned into a disaster: he would give up 9 runs in 6 games, with 2 homers (both on the change up), a nasty by-product that has chased his pitching since 2017.

His final appearance for Arizona would be on August 23, when he gave up 2 runs in 0.2 innings in a match against the Royals. Devenski was released on August 30 and immediately found a new home in Philadelphia. Funny thing is his 2022 highlights on the Diamondbacks are only runs given up.

There he was called up to the major league roster at the end of September, when Brad Hand hit the IL. He pitched to a 11.25 ERA in 3 games of work before getting optioned to AAA. On November 6 he elected free agency.

2023 outlook

Devenski’s main problem is his fastball that has become useless since 2018. The speed is okay, but the rest apparently isn’t and that does not look like the result of his TJ surgery. It makes Devenski a one-pitch hurler and he is not going to make it back to the majors that way.

Maybe Devenski still has enough name and fame to get a minor league contract somewhere, but if teams pay attention to his stats, they will probably decide to stay away from the 2017 Astros All Star in 2023.