Diamondbacks select Derek Law's contract from Triple-A Reno

What happened

The Diamondbacks announced that they have selected right-hander Derek Law's contract from Triple-A Reno. Left-hander Kohl Drake was optioned to Reno in the corresponding move. No 40-man roster move was required, as Arizona had been carrying only 39 players on its 40-man.

The club also called up left-hander Mitch Bratt from Reno to serve as the 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader with the Giants at Oracle Park.

Law has not pitched in the majors since September 2024. He missed all of last season due to arm problems that led to flexor tendon surgery in July 2025, per MLB Trade Rumors.

Why it matters

Law adds his seventh organization to a big-league résumé that spans eight seasons. The right-hander has pitched for six different clubs over that stretch, and he is expected to make his first appearance in an Arizona uniform once he enters a game.

The selection gives Arizona another bullpen arm as the club pushes through the final month of the regular season. The Diamondbacks are 10.5 games behind in the National League West but remain in the thick of the wild-card race at 75-68.

The move also reflects the long road Law has traveled back from surgery. He returned to game action for a pair of Rookie League outings in May, per the report, but another setback kept him out until August 12. Law then tossed five Triple-A rehab games in Reno, covering 6 1/3 innings and allowing only one run, per MLB Trade Rumors.

The timeline

Law last appeared in a major-league game in September 2024. Arm problems shut him down for the entire 2025 season, culminating in flexor tendon surgery in July of that year.

He began his return with two Rookie League appearances in May 2026. Another setback followed, and Law did not pitch again until August 12, when he began a five-game rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno. Over those 6 1/3 innings, he allowed one run, per the report.

The Diamondbacks selected his contract on Saturday, clearing the way for Law to pitch in the majors for the first time in nearly two years.

The numbers

Law has pitched at the major-league level for six different clubs over eight seasons. He has not appeared in the majors since September 2024.

In his five Triple-A rehab games at Reno, Law worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed one run, per MLB Trade Rumors. The right-hander made two Rookie League appearances in May before the setback that delayed his return through early August.

Where the club stands

Arizona enters Saturday's doubleheader at 75-68, second in the National League West and 10.5 games behind the division leader. The Diamondbacks have won one in a row.

The club faces the Giants twice on Saturday at Oracle Park. Merrill Kelly is the probable starter for the first game, opposed by Matt Wilkinson. Mitch Bratt, the 27th man for the doubleheader, is the probable starter for the second game, opposed by Yunior Marte.

Arizona returns home Monday to open a series with the Phillies at Chase Field. Brandon Pfaadt is the probable starter for the opener, opposed by Aaron Nola.

The Diamondbacks are navigating the final stretch of the regular season with their wild-card hopes intact. The addition of Law gives the bullpen another veteran option as the club manages workload and availability across a crowded September schedule.

What we don't know yet

The Diamondbacks have not announced when Law is expected to make his first appearance or what role he might fill in the bullpen. The club has not disclosed the nature of the setback that delayed his return from May through early August.

Drake's option to Reno suggests he retains a future role, but the club has not said whether the move is temporary or part of a longer-term roster shuffle.

The 27th-man designation for Bratt means he is expected to return to Reno after the doubleheader, per standard practice, but the club has not said what the corresponding move will be.

What to watch

Law's first outing is expected to offer the clearest signal of where he fits in Arizona's bullpen hierarchy. The Diamondbacks are in the thick of the wild-card race, and the club needs every available arm as it navigates the final month of the regular season.

The doubleheader Saturday offers an immediate opportunity for Law to appear, though the club may choose to ease him in after the long layoff. Bratt's start in the second game as the 27th man means he is expected to return to Reno after the doubleheader, per standard practice.

Arizona's schedule turns to Philadelphia on Monday, then continues with a three-game set at home. The Diamondbacks are expected to balance rest and availability across a bullpen that now includes a pitcher making his first major-league appearance in nearly two years.

Law's return also adds a veteran presence to a relief corps that has cycled through options all season. Whether he can recapture the form that carried him through eight big-league seasons remains the central question, and the answer is expected to arrive one outing at a time.

The flexor tendon surgery that cost Law all of 2025 is a significant procedure, and the two setbacks he encountered during his rehab underscore the difficulty of the recovery. The Diamondbacks are betting that the five Triple-A outings in Reno provided enough runway for Law to contribute in meaningful games down the stretch.

Drake, meanwhile, heads back to Reno with options remaining. The left-hander's demotion clears the active roster spot for Law, but the move does not close the door on Drake's season. Arizona could shuffle its bullpen again as the calendar turns to September and rosters expand, giving the club more flexibility to manage workload and matchups.

The 27th-man rule for doubleheaders allows clubs to carry an extra pitcher for the day without making a permanent roster move. Bratt's call-up fits that pattern, and his start in the second game suggests the Diamondbacks are using the doubleheader to manage their rotation and bullpen workload simultaneously.

Law's journey back to the majors has been anything but linear. The right-hander has pitched for six different organizations over eight seasons, a testament to both his durability and the transient nature of bullpen work in the modern game. Adding a seventh club to that list is a reminder that the path to the majors is rarely a straight line, and that the ability to throw strikes and get outs can keep a career alive even after a year away from the game.