Arizona Diamondbacks 2024 Player Review: Kevin Ginkel

The D-backs' big setup man had a bit of an inconsistent season, but was still effective.

Sep 8, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel (37) delivers a pitch during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

This article is part of a series chronicling the individual seasons of players who appeared for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024.

Reviews for players who still have rookie eligibility for 2025 will appear in our prospect season reviews. Players are presented in the reverse order of their aWAR, an average of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs WAR.

RHP Kevin Ginkel

2024 Contract status: Avoided arbitration, one year, $1,225,000

Kevin Ginkel 2024 and career statistics / Alex D'Agostino | Diamondbacks On SI

The Arizona Diamondbacks rode right-handed reliever Kevin Ginkel through the 2023 regular season and postseason, and he was spectacular doing so, emerging as Arizona's top setup man, suited to any and all situations.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Ginkel suffered right elbow inflammation, but never spent time on the Injured List. And, with closer Paul Sewald sidelined with an oblique injury, began the year as Arizona's de facto closer.

But after two scoreless outings to open the season, Ginkel allowed a game-tying home run in extra innings against the New York Yankees, then promptly blew his next save opportunity against the Braves, allowing four runs (three earned) his next two outings.

He settled into a solid April, converting five of seven saves and pitching to a 3.27 monthly ERA, but struggled through most of May, giving up multiple runs on three occasions.

For the month, he allowed a .378 average, giving up 14 hits, two walks and nine runs (six earned) in just eight May innings, and blew both of his official save opportunities.

But on June 1, things changed for the big reliever. Facing the New York Mets on the road, he was struck by a ripped comebacker in the right shin.

Ginkel never missed any significant time, pitching again just three days later, but it was later revealed that he had actually suffered a fracture in his shin. Strangely, it was from that point on that Ginkel began to pitch his best for the D-backs.

Through June, he only allowed eight hits and one run over 12 innings. In July, he pitched to a 1.93 ERA and struck out an impressive 18 batters in 14 innings without issuing a walk. His swing-and-miss had begun to return, and he was dominating ina variety of situations, with his patent mound confidence seeming to return.

In August, he identically matched his July ERA, innings count and strikeout number, with just a .170 given up to opposing hitters. He had become a weapon out of the bullpen once more.

Unfortunately, the season's end spelled disaster for Ginkel, as it did for so many of the D-backs' arms. He pitched to a 8.00 ERA in September, giving up eight runs in nine innings.

However, that number is to be taken with a grain of salt, as some of his raw results don't fully match the underlying metrics. I wrote extensively on that topic at the time, but Ginkel was essentially being clipped with the worst possible luck, despite executing at a very solid level.

Related Content: Kevin Ginkel's Command, Mound Poise Defy Poor Results

With that in mind, Ginkel's season-total 3.21 ERA is even more impressive, as it was backed by a 2.85 FIP, with his highest BABIP (.332) since the covid-shortened 2020 season. The truth is, Ginkel was effective for the vast majority of the year following his rough May.

Truly, he was a savior for the D-backs on numerous occasions, as he allowed just a .188 average to opposing hitters with runners in scoring position, and .222 in high leverage situations.

Of all qualified relievers on the team, Ginkel inherited the second-most runners (29), and only allowed four of them to score. That spelled a team-best 14% inherited score percentage, as he frequently wriggled his way out of jams in critical situations, while pitching in a career-high 72 games.

2025 Outlook

2025 Contract status: Arb 2, $2,300,000 estimated per MLB Trade Rumors

Ginkel is still arbitration-eligible. He had avoided the process by signing for $1,225,000 ahead of 2024, but will be entering his second year of arbitration, should it come to that. With that kind of value attached to a very promising high-leverage arm, he should be a lock for the D-backs' 2025 roster.

With many of his results coming from poor luck or defense, and pitching that well through his injury, he'll bring energy, power, movement and high leverage versatility to Arizona's bullpen next season. He'll figure to be another frequent contributor to the pitching staff as he enters his age-31 season. He won't be a free agent until 2027.

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