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With J.J. Putz on the shelf, the Arizona Diamondbacks have had to switch things up in the late innings.

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Earlier this week, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney wrote that several soon-to-be free agent starting pitchers are either hurt or struggling mightily over extended periods, greatly impacting their value come the offseason. Buster was looking forward. I'm going to put on my hindsight shades and put the ship in reverse.

Fourteen players signed free agent contracts this past winter worth $25 million or more with a team they did not play for the previous season. While I'm not suggesting any of them are busts after five weeks or so, most of those players are either hurt or struggling right now.

Zack Greinke ($147 million) broke his collarbone in a brawl, but he is ahead of schedule to return, while Josh Hamilton ($125 million is batting a meek .205/.255/.311 with three home runs and 40 strikeouts for the Angels. B.J. Upton ($75 million) is batting .153/.240/.270 with 42 punch outs while Michael Bourn ($48 million) and Shane Victorino ($39 million) have spent the majority of the year on the disabled list. Cody Ross ($26 million) hasn't been awful, necessarily -- .280/.310/.378 -- but those are fourth outfielder numbers and he began the year on the disabled list.

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Just as the Arizona Diamondbacks were ready to hand the keys to the leadoff spot and centerfield to Adam Eaton, the rookie went down with an elbow ligament sprain that's kept him out since the end of spring training.

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J.J. Putz's shaky start to the season has his manager considering ways to get the Arizona Diamondbacks closer back to his usual effective self.

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Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius is eligible to be activated off the seven-day disabled list on Saturday, but manager Kirk Gibson was unsure if the move will be made on that date, reports MLB.com’s Tyler Emerick.

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One of the Arizona Diamondbacks key offseason acquisitions suffered a scary incident over the weekend.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks recalled Didi Gregorius from Triple-A Reno on Tuesday, but don’t expect the shortstop prospect to immediately be an everyday player.

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The Texas Rangers designated for assignment centerfielder Julio Borbon, clearing roster space for right-hander Nick Tepesch, the team announced Tuesday, giving them 10 days to trade Borbon or reassign him to the minors. In order for the Rangers to do the latter, he'll have to clear waivers, making a trade scenario more likely.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Cody Ross is making significant progress toward a return to the active roster, writes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Ross is on rehab in Class-A Visalia.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks appear to have found their leadoff hitter while Adam Eaton remains out.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks came away victorious Wednesday night, but it took 16 innings and seven pitchers. The St. Louis Cardinals used eight pitchers. Neither manager is likely to be short in the coming days, however.

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If all goes well, the Arizona Diamondbacks could have Cody Ross back in the lineup as soon as Monday against the Pirates.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are already set to start the season without centerfielder and projected leadoff hitter Adam Eaton as well as Cody Ross, and Tuesday's 7-1 in over the Los Angeles Angels turned out to be more of a damper on things than victories generally tend to be. Three more key players were injured: second baseman Aaron Hill, outfielder Jason Kubel and utility man Willie Bloomquist.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks' projected starter in center field will miss up to two months with a sprained left elbow -- his throwing side -- setting back his first full season in the big leagues and forcing the D-backs deeper into their depth chart.

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