PHOENIX -- Bronson Arroyo's tenure with the Arizona Diamondbacks came to a close Saturday during their 8-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. The pitcher spoke with a tinge of disappointment when, after the game, he spoke of being traded to the Atlanta Braves.
That Arroyo, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, hadn't been healthy for much of the past year stung him more than did the D-backs' decision to deal him.
In the trade, the D-backs dealt Arroyo's contract and 19-year-old pitching prospect Touki Toussaint, the team's 2014 first-round pick, to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for utility infielder Phil Gosselin.
"The most difficult part, honestly, is just the fact that I pitched for 10-12 years for other ball clubs and gave them their money's worth, and nobody could ever say that Bronson Arroyo kind of shorted the team," the 38-year-old said.
"Coming here, I gave these guys, you know, 14 starts and seven wins. You know, for a two-year deal, that was pretty expensive. That's definitely disappointing on my part, that I would've loved to give these guys more. That's just the way it is."
Arroyo, who made sure to credit Arizona's training staff for helping him in his rehab to this point, hadn't yet spoken to the Braves since the trade was completed in the middle of Arizona's loss.
He admitted surprise that Atlanta would want an injured player that is owed about half of his $9.5 million salary this year. His contract has a $11 million team option next season, with a $4.5 million buyout.
"If I had pitched a couple times and I was healthy, I would've thought it probably would've made sense because I'm making more money than they probably want to pay, given the circumstance of having a lot of young arms around here," Arroyo said. "Who knows? Maybe they just really wanted Touki.
"If I could get back mid-August that'd be good, but I don't even know if I'll pitch this year," he added.
The D-backs lose a clubhouse leader, even if he hadn't pitched this season.
"It's tough," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "It's tough to lose those guys. You have to do what's best for the organization, and we're trying to put ourselves in a position to be more competitive.
Arroyo, who went 7-4 in 14 starts in 2014, said he's still dealing with pain in one part of his throwing elbow. That said, he would enjoy the opportunity to start this season. With Arizona, an opportunity seemed unlikely with the franchise's commitment to a group of young arms.
Now, Arroyo faces an uncertain future.
"You don't want to go into that (team option) not having pitched and show these guys I'm healthy," he said. "I'd like to get back out there and them know that I'm feeling up to par, that my stuff looks like it did before, and that I can compete at this level."
* Arizona finished the evening with four hits against Padres starter Tyson Ross, who went nine innings and struck out nine. All of those Ks came with a deadly breaking slider that only Chris Owings could get a handle on. Owings recorded a hit and had two hard connections caught by third baseman Will Middlebrooks. Otherwise, Ross brought his A-game, in the words of D-backs third baseman Jake Lamb. "He got into a rhythm and he was throwing strikes. Even the sliders not for strikes, it looks like a fastball ... and then it's out of the zone," Lamb said. "That's the thing, you can't identify it. That's what everybody says. It's tough to see that spin and by the time you pick it up it's too late."
* Padres shortstop Clint Barmes owned the Diamondbacks and specifically starter Robbie Ray, who went 5 2/3 innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs to go with a career-high nine strikeouts. Barmes scored two runs and recorded three hits, including two doubles and two RBI. The second double, in the sixth inning, got to Ray, who otherwise had a decent game. "I just wasn't able to finish that inning out," Ray said. "I think it was just a lack of concentration. Give up that hit, (to Barmes) get mad at myself and couldn't get over it. It comes with time, being able to get over that."
Pitching for Double-A Mobile, left-hander Patrick Corbin went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs in his latest rehab start on Saturday. Corbin also walked three and struck out three.
With Arroyo heading out of town, the D-backs lose one of the more unique characters. Here's a quote from a few weeks back, when I asked Arroyo about solving a Rubik's cube while holding his breath underwater in his pool.
What happens when you ask Bronson Arroyo why he decided to finish a Rubik's Cube while holding his breath underwater pic.twitter.com/AjdMSlmMo2
— Kevin Zimmerman (@KZimmermanFSAZ) June 3, 2015
