Joe Mantiply Talks Facing Shohei Ohtani, Quietly Strong Season

The D-backs left-hand reliever discussed facing Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, and how he's settling into his role alongside A.J. Puk.

Aug 13, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Mantiply (35) pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed reliever Joe Mantiply is quietly in the midst of an excellent season. The 2022 All-Star has pitched well in 2024, posting a 3.68 ERA, and has been a reliable middle reliever, despite serving as the only left-hander in Arizona's bullpen for a portion of the year.

Though he's no closer, Mantiply has entered the game in 16 "save situations." Per Baseball Reference, outside of the traditional ninth-inning save opportunity, a save situation can occur at any point where there is a lead of no more than three runs, with three or more outs remaining.

Looking at Mantiply's total save situations, he's entered in 16 of them. In those 16 situations, he's recorded 14 holds (maintained the lead) and one save (closed the game in a save opportunity).

That means he's been responsible for one blown lead, despite entering in a situation that necessitated maintaining the lead 16 times.

His numbers back him up. Sure, the 3.68 ERA might not be the most pristine number in MLB, but it's backed up by an impressive 2.65 FIP and 3.35 xERA. He's only walking 2.81 batters per nine, while striking out 7.71, his highest K/9 since his All-Star season.

By all metrics, Mantiply is, and continues to be, a better reliever than one might expect on the surface. And that was on full display against the Dodgers this series.

Despite suffering from poor batted ball luck on August 30th as he surrendered two runs, his next two (and most recent) outings were scoreless, hitless, walkless appearances against the NL juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers.

And of course, a big part of keeping the Dodgers down is finding a way to get future 2024 NL MVP Shohei Ohtani out. That's not an easy task, however, it has been for Mantiply.

Ohtani has just one hit off Mantiply in nine plate appearances this season. The left-handed DH is just 1-for-9 in his career against the southpaw, and has struck out three times.

Arizona Diamondbacks ON SI's Jack Sommers had a chance to speak to Mantiply about his success against Ohtani, and the season as a whole.

“I think against lefties I’m pretty deceptive," said Mantiply. "I know that, and my stuff’s not overpowering, but I think it’s a different look for guys that they don’t see. I’m pretty unique, the way I throw, it just seems like, to me, the swings that I get from [Ohtani], and the look is probably hard to pick up.

"I just try to go in knowing that, and that gives me confidence to be able to attack the zone, and then try to evacuate when I can. He’s a guy that just hammers mistakes, and he can hit good pitches even when you execute," Mantiply said.

The reliever noted that, with a star the caliber of Ohtani, a pitcher has to stay on his toes. Giving a hitter like that too much of the same look can sometimes spell disaster, even if the pitches are executed properly.

“The more you face somebody, it seems like, for me, the better I have to be every time. I try to just not give him the same look really, change the sequencing, don’t necessarily start the same way every time, or try to put him away the same every time.

"Just try to keep mixing it up… fortunately for me it’s gone my way, but he’s obviously a guy that can hurt you at any second," Mantiply said.

And he's shined against baseball's biggest name. Mantiply said he looks to go out and "get outs" in whatever situation the D-backs put him in, but that he enjoys the challenge of trying to find ways to get the best of the best out.

“That’s why you play the game essentially. I’m out here to face the best guys and see what I got. This team I feel that they have a lot of confidence in me to go out and face those guys in big situations,” he said.

It's not just about Ohtani, either. Mantiply has held left-hand bats to a .202 average and .337 slug, while striking out 23 in 24 1/3 innings against lefties.

He's been generally effective against righties too, although they're getting on base at a .342 clip, right-handers are only slugging .365, a split that's a bit more minor than might be expected from a low-velocity left-hand reliever.

Mantiply said that the recent addition of A.J. Puk has helped take some of the pressure off of him, as he's no longer the lone southpaw in the D-backs' bullpen. If an opposing manager knows Arizona only has one left-hand reliever, it's a recipe for Mantiply to face a multitude of right-handed pinch-hitters.

"It seemed like for a while, every time I came in I was facing righties," said Mantiply, "So having two [left-hand relievers] down there, hopefully gives me an opportunity to face more lefties."

“I’m fully confident in getting out righties as well," the reliever clarified, but added that it is "a lot more comforting" to not have to guess which pinch-hitters he might have to face when coming out.

But, with Puk dominating in the back end, Mantiply can settle into his middle relief role, facing a more standard slate of batters.

"It’s nice to know that if I come in, fifth, sixth inning… just because they know that we’ve got A.J. in the back end, that they might need to save the pinch-hitters."

At any rate, Mantiply has looked a lot more like his 2022 All-Star self this year, and continues to come through in big moments, even facing the best of the best.