D-backs ponder how to use Marte, closer

SAN DIEGO -- D-backs manager Torey Lovullo did his annual Winter Meetings press conference and general manager Mike Hazen gave his daily briefing to the media Tuesday.

Here are three takeaways from the two sessions:

1. Finding a center fielder isn't easy

The D-backs would like to play Ketel Marte primarily at second base next year, but in order for that to happen, they need to find a center fielder, which is difficult given the number of teams looking and the scarcity of options available.

"We anticipated it being a challenge to try and fill that, but we're still going to keep going," Hazen said. "We'll see how it all winds up."

The D-backs are open to finding a short-term solution at the position, since they believe they have good internal options who are a couple of years away.

That could include catching prospect Daulton Varsho, who briefly played center during the Minor League playoffs this past season. Others, such as top prospects Alek Thomas, Kristian Robinson and Corbin Carroll, are still a ways away from the big leagues

"I think we're going to have some depth in that area over the next few years," Hazen said. "I do think that we're going to have to bridge I would imagine a few seasons to get there."

2. Lovullo is likely to use his closer differently in 2020

Over the past three seasons, Lovullo has said the team's closers -- Fernando Rodney, Brad Boxberger and, to a lesser extent, Greg Holland -- expressed a preference to pitch just one inning.

With Archie Bradley the presumptive closer for 2020, Lovullo sees an opportunity to use him for more than three outs if need be.

"We might ask somebody to get four outs from time to time, and I like that part of Archie," Lovullo said. "He's able to go one plus."

That being said, Lovullo did not want to guarantee that Bradley would be the club's closer, saying the right-hander was a "good starting point" when it came to the role.

"But we're going to bring some guys in, and guys are going to be coming back," Lovullo said. "We want to create competition, and that's what it's all about for me in Spring Training. We want to watch guys perform, but whoever gets it is going to have to earn it."

3. Marte is going to get more rest in 2020

Lovullo has blamed himself for not giving Marte enough rest last year, which could be what contributed to his missing the final two weeks of the season with a stress reaction in his back.

"I don't want anybody on my time to get banged up from overusage," Lovullo said. "I think Ketel fell into that category. I became uneasy about taking him out of the lineup because of what he meant to our lineup, and there are days he should have had off in September that he told me he wanted to play and he needed to play because we were trying to chase something pretty special. I need to be more proactive and protect. That was on me. I think I told you guys that, because I could have given him time off to recover."

Speaking of recovery, the D-backs have gotten good reports on how Marte's rehab has gone.

Marte has been in the Dominican Republic and is expected to be back in Phoenix soon when the D-backs will have him evaluated again.