MLB WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS RANGERS

October 28, 2023

Joe Mantiply

Ryan Thompson

Globe Life Field

Arizona Diamondbacks

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Ryan, going back a couple months with what you went through with Tampa and everything, I know things have gone really well for you since coming over here. What was that like when they made the decision to move on? And kind of what was that like emotionally for you to go through that?

RYAN THOMPSON: It was very bittersweet. Without going into any of the details, I think the business relationship, it was just time to move on from both sides. And so where it's not really that fun to get fired, it was a situation where my agent and I had discussed asking for release for about four to six weeks before it happened. We didn't really think that a release was on the table.

And so since I got released, it was, we felt a really good opportunity. With that being said, when you're in that void of not having a job, you never know if anyone's going to take a chance on you.

That was a risk I was willing to take. You never know if you're ever going to pitch again in the big leagues at that point. But I was willing to bet on myself, and I was super blessed to have certain teams reach out to me and that they believed in me.

And that was a big reason why I chose this team was because they showed how much they believed in me, where I didn't feel like I was believed in in my last employer.

I was just really excited to be able to come over here and just show that that trust that they had in me was well founded.

Q. Ryan, you pitched so well for Arizona. Was there some sort of adjustment you made or something that Brent Strom or somebody else suggested to you that enabled you to have such a drastic turnaround?

RYAN THOMPSON: I think the answer is, yes, but not a specific reason. My dad taught me when I was a little kid that there's no such thing as staying the same. You're either getting better or you're getting worse. I think that frustrates people sometimes because they look at me and they think I'm always tinkering with something.

But I'm an honest evaluate of where I'm at. I try to be a realist. And I like to look at my outings whether it's a good outing or a bad outing via the box score and try to find things that I can improve.

That's something where I was kind of in a weird position after my thoracic outlet surgery of trying to come back multiple times and trying to pitch in big league games, avoiding pain and changing mechanics, that when I came back from that surgery, I kind of lost who I was.

And so I think that's probably a little bit of kind of the bumps in the road that I took in the past was just trying to figure out who I was and what my identity was as a pitcher again.

So kind of coming over here, there were a lot of conversations with a lot of different pitching coaches that we have here. I think there's five or six pitching coaches we have with us right now, and there's a lot of good voices in there.

And Fet has been so incredible for me in the bullpen, just having conversations whether it's 5 seconds before I go out on the mound, remember this cue, or whatever it is.

To answer your question, I'm always trying to see what I can do or watch video or try to make mechanical adjustments just to get that 1 percent better each and every day.

And the Diamondbacks, they've just been such a good fit for me. And that mentality for me really meshes well with this organization, and they've helped me a lot.

Q. Ryan, yesterday Mike Hazen said, even before the season, he had at least five or six guys in the front office bang on the table telling him to go get you, and it took him five months to go get you and he almost had to trade for you. It worked out the way it did. Was that story reiterated to you when you got here, and if so did that help you feel comfortable early on that there were a lot of guys in the building that wanted you here?

RYAN THOMPSON: One of the first things they told me when I signed was they had a text thread going on where everyone was so excited, throwing a celebration that they signed me. I was a little confused because I was like, man, I feel I was convincing you guys to want me.

It's been great. As a professional athlete, like for one, you want to be wanted and you want to be able to feel comfortable and have that trust in you to go out there and perform.

The circumstances were specific, but my first day here they trusted me in the ninth inning for a save opportunity. That just showed that they believed in me. That just adds a little bit of fuel that I'm going to prove you guys right. There's something about proving people wrong but there's also something about proving people right.

Q. Joe, just what was the mood like walking into the clubhouse this morning compared to yesterday? Also this quick turnaround on the road, does that help that you guys get to get right back out there 12, 13 hours later, as opposed to a long flight across the country thinking about the game?

JOE MANTIPLY: I think for sure. What I've kind of seen, this is my first experience in the postseason in the big leagues. You know, I think the best thing about it is what happened last night doesn't matter.

Whether you win or lose, we have to show up today and try to win the game. Obviously it was an unfortunate way to end that game. But just speaking to the way it did end, Paul's been carrying us pretty much the whole way here. So those things are going to happen.

But I think we're all in a pretty good head space. We've been through some adversity this year, for sure and even in the playoffs.

The vibe feels good in the clubhouse. We're going to go out there and do what we can to win this game tonight.

Q. Obviously everybody's been there. You guys have been there before where you either give it up or get walked off or whatever. Do you say anything to Paul Castro, just sort of, do you convey anything to them after the game or today?

JOE MANTIPLY: Yeah, for sure. I just try to -- I've definitely been there. I've been there a lot. And so I just try to reiterate -- I went up to Paul, Casti and Walk I could tell was down a little too after the game. I just told them we wouldn't be here without you. You guys are three of the main reasons why we're in this position and you're going to be three of the main reasons why we win it.

So that always feels good to me when someone comes up after the game -- because you feel worthless in those moments, personally. So it always helps me when a teammate comes up and picks me up after a situation like that where I was involved. So that's always the first thing on my mind is try to find a situation to pick them up.

Q. Joe, you just kind of alluded to it but you've obviously been through a lot this year. What was your reaction when Torey told you he would be moving you into this higher-leverage role for this series?

JOE MANTIPLY: He didn't really specifically say that. But I think that I don't need to be told what role I need to be in. I just want the ball whenever they want to give it to me.

Whether it's opening a game or coming in in the fifth for one out or pitching in the seventh with a lead, I try to approach it the same way and just go out and get the guys they need me to get out and just contribute.

So, yeah, I mean from where I was probably three months ago to where I am now, if you would have asked me three months ago, I was surprised that I was actually still with this organization, to be honest.

So I think that speaks volumes to, at times, this year this organization's believed in me more than I've believed in myself. And I'm very grateful and fortunate for that.

Q. For Ryan, quickly, you mentioned earlier you didn't necessarily feel a certain level of trust when you were with the Rays. Why did you feel that way?

RYAN THOMPSON: I think the ways that they would use me and the ways they would try to make sure that I was in certain situations that they felt like I could perform in. I was a guy that was kind of bouncing up and down between Triple-A. I seemed to be the first guy that, whenever they needed length, that I was the first bullpen guy that would get option this year.

So those were some of the reasons. It was evident by usage that they didn't trust me to get left-handed hitters out when I think my stats show that I can get left-handed hitters out. And I think my batting average against throughout my career is better against lefties. I do believe I'm better against righties.

I think when I came over here, there's still those situations where they're going to try to get me more righties, but at the same time, I've faced almost as many left handers as I had righties here, and that was told to me pretty early on, that in certain situations it doesn't matter whether the guy is a lefty or righty, we believe in you.

I don't really think there was a distrust in the past, but it's not the same level of trust that I've felt here.

Q. Joe, when you were 23, you were just starting your minor league career. Have you ever just stopped and, probably several times, been amazed by Perdomo and Thomas and Carroll and now Moreno. Are there times when you can't believe their ages?

JOE MANTIPLY: Yeah, all the time. Pretty much every day. I was fortunate to be around Alek and Corbin at the alternate site in 2020, when they were 18 years old. And the level of talent that they showed at that age was already unbelievable -- and maturity.

I remember thinking, like, Corbin specifically was just on a different level of player that I've seen at that age. And the success that they're having is no surprise. Those are easy guys to evaluate and not be surprised on what they're doing.

Q. Is there an example or two that stands out when it comes to Moreno in particular, because he's new to the organization, and Gallen said he's 23 going on 33?

JOE MANTIPLY: Yeah, I mean the one that pops in my head is the homer against the Dodgers, just to have that -- he hits the home run foul and the next pitch to be able to turn on one and hit another homer, that's something only the best players in the world can do.

That takes an unbelievable amount of talent and slow heartbeat to not let that moment -- to be able to execute in that moment. That's probably the coolest thing I've ever seen on a field, to be honest.

Yeah, I mean, all three of those guys, their level of maturity stands out as well as their talent. But being around them in the clubhouse, it's like for them to be this age and handling this stage is pretty remarkable.

Q. Joe, this is your fourth year with the club. Is there something that is different about this year's Diamondbacks compared to the past that have allowed you guys to have the success that you've had?

JOE MANTIPLY: I think for the most part, like, just thinking back to '21 when we lost all those games, we had a lot of injuries, a lot of injuries to big players.

And it kind of just seemed like a revolving door at times of just, like, you'd walk in the clubhouse and you wouldn't know -- there was a new guy in there almost every day, it felt like.

I feel like this year, there's been a little more stability in the clubhouse with the group of guys. And we've had these young guys really step up. Especially like Tommy Henry and Pfaadt and obviously Gabby and Corbin and Alek.

I think those guys having success has brought a lot of stability to the team, not constantly sending guys up and down. And they've really filled in some roles that I think maybe coming into the year with young players, you kind of have questions about. And it's really brought some stability to our team. And I think that seeing how it's gone this year I'm not surprised that we're in this position.