Acquired by Arizona in a 2024 trade-deadline deal, A.J. Puk has been a steady force in the D'backs' bullpen. [Photo: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images]

Gators in the Pros: A.J. Puk Starting to Feel Comfortable in Deep D’backs ‘Pen

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A.J. Puk has had a lot of expectations on him for a long time. Puk was drafted with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the then-Oakland Athletics.

Before going pro, the 6-foot-7 left-hander donned the orange and blue in Gainesville. He had consistent success in his three years at UF from 2014-16. Florida made the NCAA tournament in all three seasons, including back-to-back trips to Omaha in the College World Series in Puk’s final two years with the Gators. He had a career ERA of 3.36 in 54 appearances at UF with 37 starts.

Puk made his MLB debut in 2019 with the A’s and stayed with the team for his first three major league seasons. He returned to the Sunshine State in 2023 with the Miami Marlins before being dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline in 2024.

After being traded, the southpaw tossed 30 innings in Arizona to the tune of a 1.32 ERA. Now 29, Puk looks to be a big part of the Diamondbacks bullpen as they try to get back to the playoffs in 2025.

Sports@CJC spoke with Puk at the D’backs’ spring training facility at Salt River Fields, where he talked about his time at UF and the transition from being a frontline starter to a key bullpen piece.

1. Going back to your days at UF, what do you remember most playing for Kevin O’Sullivan in Florida?

Puk: Definitely just like my freshman class, we’re real close. Being around that type of talent, it’s cool to see what those guys have done moving on from school. Looking back at it, it’s definitely a really fun group of guys that we had there. It was a good time.

2. How would you contrast the program that O’Sullivan runs at UF to a professional organization?

Puk: College baseball is way different than pro ball. Everyone here, you’re grown. You’re treated more like men. When you’re younger in college, there’s a lot of distractions on campus and what not. It’s definitely a lot different feel with pro ball versus with college for sure.

3. Do you still talk to any of the guys you played with at UF?

Puk: Yeah, we still got a group chat from a lot of our guys from my freshman class. Even Karsten Whitson; he’s coaching my little brother at FIU right now. It’s definitely cool to see (former Gators) when everyone comes around. You meet a lot of different guys, a lot of older guys, too. It’s kind of cool just seeing what everyone’s up to now.

A.J. Puk struck out 251 batters in 194 innings over his three seasons and 54 appearances with the Gators. [Photo: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images]

4. How was the experience playing at Florida?

Puk: I was born in Minnesota, but I grew up in Iowa. It was definitely cool. It was definitely one of the things I wanted to do was get out of the midwest (for college). Everyone says everyone down in the south are better baseball players, so I definitely wanted to go try my hand and see where I was at. It was a goal of mine to get down south, and it turned out to be UF.

Then with the Marlins, it was definitely cool. I always heard a lot of “Go Gators” as I was walking to and from the field. It was definitely cool being back in Florida. I love Florida, and it’s a great state. Now I’m out here, been living out here for a couple years. It’s been kind of cool

5. You started as a reliever in Oakland, then you started as a starter with the Marlins, and since then you’ve been a reliever after going on the IL there. How has the transition gone from reliever to starter and back to reliever?

Puk: I was a starter at UF. I started my first year in pro ball here, then I had Tommy John surgery and came out the ‘pen to speed the recovery process. I could go two innings and help the big-league team with the A’s.

I got the opportunity to start again last year, then the same kind of health stuff popped up, so it’s been more comfortable with my body just to be a reliever right now. I’m never shutting the door on being a starter. It’s always in the back of mind, for sure. It’s one of those things, I’ve been used to being a reliever in the big leagues, so it’s just kind of like riding a bike.

Coming out of the bullpen, you have to be ready to go every day. Starting, you’re on a routine, pitching every five days. You have scheduled workouts and what not. You show up to the field as a reliever, and you’re ready to go every day. If you have a couple strings of outings in a row, they’ll give you a down day. But, it’s kind of just show up and be ready to rock.

6. You were traded at the trade deadline to Arizona, how was that transition for you both mentally and on the field?

Puk: I kind of saw it coming, just from where the Marlins were at that point of the year and the new GM coming in (Peter Bendix) and setting the tone that they were sending a lot of guys away. So, I definitely had a feeling it was coming. In ’23, we were a playoff team with the Marlins. Then last year, not so much. So it was fun being traded to a team that was competing for a playoff spot.

Used as one of the high-leverage lefties out of the Arizona pen, A.J. Puk (left) allowed just four runs in 27 1/3 innings (1.32 ERA) to finish 2024. [Photo: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images]

7. It was your best full year in the majors last season as a reliever. What was so effective for you, especially when you got here in Arizona?

Puk: I kind of changed my slider from a sweeper early in the year. And then when I went back to a reliever with the Marlins, I had a couple outings where I didn’t like the sweeper and just changed it back to a little harder slider. From that point on, it kind of took off.

Right now (in spring training camp), I just want to make sure my slider is feeling good and the command of my fastball. I have also been working on a bit of a changeup too just to see if I can work that in. I definitely still rely on my fastball, slider combo, especially out of the ‘pen, just really being just two dominant pitches, and the changeup, if it gets there, I can mix it in for sure.

8. Arizona has a lot of bullpen depth this year. What do you see your role being this season?

Puk: I know we like doing matchups. So just whenever the matchup is falling my way, just kind of be ready to go at any time and go out there and compete. We have a talented team, like you said. We’re expecting big things out of this group.

9. What are your goals for yourself this season?

Puk: It’s the same thing as the team. I just want to go out there, have a good season, and win as many ballgames as we can so we don’t get kicked out from the tiebreaker. Just want to make the playoffs outright and whatever happens from there happens. Just go out there and prove once again.

These guys were in the World Series in ’23, and that’s definitely the goal: to get back to that and win the whole thing this time. For these guys, show that it wasn’t a fluke that they got there. Being a part of that would be great.

Category: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cactus League, Gators in the Pros, Top Stories
Tagged: A.J. Puk Arizona Diamondbacks Kevin O'Sullivan MLB Spring Training