DIAMONDBACKS

Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart: Chip Hale’s job is safe

Nick Piecoro
azcentral sports
Jul 22, 2016: Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale (L) talks with home plate umpire Carlo Torres (R) at the beginning of a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

CINCINNATI – General Manager Dave Stewart said manager Chip Hale is safe – for the time being.

Though he wouldn’t make any long-term promises about the job security of his manager, Stewart said the club has no immediate plans to make a change.

“Right now, our plan is to proceed with Chip as our manager,” Stewart said.

Stewart said rumors that surfaced on Friday of the club planning to make an immediate change were “bad rumors,” though he didn’t deny that the team had discussed Hale’s status.

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“We’re evaluating everything,” Stewart said. “We’re evaluating even our performances, me and Tony (La Russa) – our performances have been discussed. Everything has been discussed. But you have to do that to know what’s going wrong and how you get better.

“Chip is like any other manager in baseball. All managers, when things go wrong, you sit and look at the situation and you evaluate what he’s doing, how it can be better, how he can be better with the players, everything.

“I don’t think we’re doing anything different than any other team would be doing when your performance is as bad as ours is. There’s nothing else to call it. We’re performing badly. So you have to look at that.”

Hale, who is in his second year as the Diamondbacks manager, had his contract option for 2017 picked up earlier this year.

MORE: Top prospect Braden Shipley set for big-league debut

Greinke update

Hale said the club was still determining the next step for right-hander Zack Greinke, who threw a 45-pitch bullpen session on Saturday as he works his way back from a left oblique strain.

Hale said the team is deciding whether Greinke will make a rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona League or pitch in a simulated game.

More than likely, Hale said, Greinke will need to pitch in a pair of game situations before returning from the disabled list. That likely means the soonest he could return would be sometime during the Aug. 5-7 series vs. the Brewers at Chase Field.

Greinke hasn’t pitched since June 28.

Easing off

Left-hander Patrick Corbin has skipped his between-starts bullpen session for the second consecutive time as he’s trying to be stronger for his remaining starts.

“We looked at it mechanically and everything looks the same, so we’re just trying to see what happens,” Corbin said. “Just something different. I’m trying to do more gym-wise and treatment-wise so I can feel as good as possible when I get out there.”

Corbin said he plays catch every day so he doesn’t think he’s risking losing any feel for his pitches.

“I just think hopefully it will keep you a little fresher,” he said.

Short hop

Third baseman Jake Lamb was out of the lineup on Sunday. He had gone 0 for 15 with a walk and eight strikeouts in his past four games. “He needs a day,” Hale said. “Mentally, physically – he needs a day off.”

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

Monday’s game

Diamondbacks at Brewers

When: 4:20 p.m.

Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Braden Shipley (8-5, 3.70)* vs. Brewers RHP Chase Anderson (4-10, 5.50).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-FM (620), KSUN-AM (1400).

Shipley is the Diamondbacks' No. 1 prospect, according to most publications. … He posted solid numbers in a tough environment for a pitcher in the Pacific Coast League, logging a 3.70 ERA. … He features a low-90s fastball, a change-up and a curveball. … He gave up one run in seven innings vs. Colorado Springs in his most recent start. … Anderson, who was shipped to the Brewers as part of the 2B Jean Segura trade, has not pitched well this season, logging a 5.50 ERA while averaging just five innings per outing. … He’s thrown at least six innings in only one of his past 10 starts and has really struggled of late, with a 9.13 ERA in his past six outings. … Right-handed hitters have a .326/.387/.627 line against him.

* – Stats from Triple-A Reno.

Coming up

Tuesday: At Milwaukee, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-9, 5.23) vs. Brewers RHP Matt Garza (1-4, 5.94).

Wednesday: At Milwaukee, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley (3-6, 4.44) vs. Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-8, 3.40).

Thursday: At Milwaukee, 11:10 a.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (5-9, 4.53) vs. Brewers RHP Zach Davies (7-4, 3.64).

Up next

Milwaukee Brewers

Brewers update: The Brewers, one of several teams in the National League in rebuild mode, were within three games of .500 in mid-June but entered Sunday having won just 11 of their past 32 games. They have already begun to sell off pieces, shipping former Diamondbacks 2B Aaron Hill to the Boston Red Sox. They’re also rumored to be considering dealing C Jonathan Lucroy as well as multiple relievers, including LHP Will Smith and RHP Jeremy Jeffress. 1B Chris Carter is hitting just .218 but leads the team with 22 homers. LF Ryan Braun is hitting .317 with 14 homers and nine stolen bases. RHP Jimmy Nelson (3.40 ERA in 20 starts) and RHP Junior Guerra (3.06 ERA in 14 starts) have been the Brewers’ best starters this season. Jeffress has a 2.23 ERA in 40 1/3 innings and is 23 of 24 in save opportunities.