The D-Backs announced this evening they’ve activated outfielder Jordan Luplow from the 10-day injured list. Outfielder Jake McCarthy was optioned to Triple-A Reno. Additionally, left-hander Tyler Gilbert was recalled from Triple-A, while veteran reliever Oliver Pérez was designated for assignment. Arizona’s 40-man roster now sits at 39.
The Diamondbacks acquired Luplow from the Rays over the offseason, sending infield prospect Ronny Simon to Tampa Bay. The right-handed hitting Luplow has a history of excellent offensive production when holding the platoon advantage. In 378 career plate appearances against southpaws, he owns a .245/.360/.549 line. That batting average isn’t eye-catching, but Luplow’s elite 14.3% walk rate and 23 home runs in that time result in a 139 wRC+ that indicates he’s been 39 percentage points above league average against lefties.
Luplow has been a below-average hitter against right-handers, making him a best fit for a corner outfield platoon. The D-Backs have lefty swingers David Peralta, Pavin Smith and Seth Beer as their primary corner outfielders and designated hitter, respectively. There should be plenty of opportunity for Luplow to spell those players against opposing southpaws. He missed the first few weeks of the season recovering from an oblique strain but figures to rotate fairly frequently into the outfield mix for manager Torey Lovullo.
Pérez signed a minor league deal with the Snakes shortly after the lockout lifted. He made the Opening Day roster but had a rough go in the desert. Over seven appearances, he’s tallied four innings of nine-run ball. Pérez has fanned just one of the 24 hitters he’s faced, and Arizona has decided to move forward with Joe Mantiply and Kyle Nelson as their top two southpaws in the bullpen.
The D-Backs have a week to trade Pérez or place him on waivers, and it remains to be seen whether the 40-year-old will look to continue his MLB career. Given his poor start to the year, it seems likely Pérez will clear waivers and wind up released. He’d likely find some minor league interest at that point, but it’s possible he may not have the desire to attempt to work his way back onto an MLB roster.
The Mexico native had been set to play the 2022 season with the Toros de Tijuana in his home country before signing with Arizona. At the time, Pérez announced that this year with the Toros would be his final in professional baseball. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he returns to Tijuana if/when he’s officially let go by the D-Backs.
I suspect he’ll get another shot elsewhere if he has the interest.
I haven’t seen him this year, but I wonder if Ollie’s a victim of the “3 batter” rule and the eradication of the LOOGY.
He’s pretty much done after watching him pitch against his former team the Mets several times this year. I have to admit that I never thought he would have lasted this long in the majors. There probably is a team out there though willing to give him one last shot.
Mets are looking for lefty in the pen
That bridge is burnt to a crisp
First Oliver Drake, now Oliver Perez…. we’re starting to get dangerously low on Olivers. Just Ortega and Marmol.
Mark Lester sheds a tear.
Nice touch
Andy Oliver is available
Is there a Twist to this?
Gotta think Ollie is probably done.
White Sox
I see it, they are the Mets of Chicago
Can’t be any worse than Bummer or Hendriks.
Some people think MLB trade rumors is their own personal Facebook message board
Mets are 11-5 and 4 of those wins came against the Dbacks. Met fans are ready to celebrate the April WS even though they had the easiest schedule in baseball.
Then again, the Reds are 3-13 and 2 of their wins came against the Braves. Sadly, this is not a fluke. The Braves are heading down just like the Nats did!!
The Giants would like a word about your easiest schedule remark
The giants have the easiest schedule? Granted not every series is against contender they had like 34 games in 33 days. With a giant road trip or two. And again not all the teams they played were horrible, they played the Mets, brewers, Cleveland(one of best offense), padres.
He’s saying the Mets took 3 of 4 from the Giants.. not that the Giants have had an easy schedule.
4 of those wins have also come against the Giants/Cardinals
Wake up and stay woke
Looks like Oliver will make it to our high school reunion this year after all.
D-Backs DFA’d Caleb Baragar for this old fogey. Baragar hasn’t given up a run yet in 3 appearances with AAA Reno.
Baragar deserves to be in a pen, at least from what I’ve seen with his times in a giants uni. Until he gets blown up for awhile he deserves a shot.
Oliver was pitching in the 1990s… crazy.
I’ll always remember him as the best pitcher by far on some terrible Pirates teams back in the day.
When with Mets he would pitch a few gems and you believe he is on his way to ace status then just get rocked the next few.
Perez is a idiot. Deserves to get released
He deserves to get released because he can’t pitch.
He was an idiot back when he was with the Mets, and survived for a surprising number of years with other teams. If he doesn’t get picked up by another team, it still works out well for him. He’ll get the full season of MLB salary and gets to pitch in Mexico as he originally planned.
Lol and he’s $64 Million dollars richer than you….
Well, not $64m, but he did earn a lot of money in his career, and more than half of that came from the Mets. So I guess that they were the idiots.
Yeah I’d call the Mets idiots, mostly because 90% of the time the Mets are the idiots hahaha
Good thing you added “hahaha.” We thought you were serious for a minute there.
CaarpRDINALS?
Always liked and appreciated Ollie Perez. Dude has been counted out several times only to reinvent himself to continue pitching. If this is the end, kudos to him on a nice career. Much respect.
But he refused to reinvent himself while with the Mets. Refused to go to the pen, refused to work on things at AAA
Maybe, because past and current, anything the Mets say to do is stupidity.
Or maybe such exaggeration is idiotic
Wow heckuva weird thread lol and to the CAPS guy , easy bud , we are all your friends. Even the ones who diss you love you.
We are a baseball family!
Ps have you tried some good weed to calm you down ?
Go to a Rockies game. 🙂
Legal in Virginia now thank God. I guess illegal still where he from.
I’ve never called someone a “troll” but I think he is. He needs to lay off the alcohol. I hope he gets help(us).
You can say that again
Legal in Virginia now thank God. I guess illegal still where he from.
I’ve never called someone a “troll” but I think he is. He needs to lay off the alcohol. I hope he gets help(us).
If you aren’t able to stay on with the D-bacls, I gotta think it’s time to hang’em up. He had a solid career
The DBACKS should just move and get it over with, the Dodgers are at the DBACKS this week, wonder how that’s going to go, DBACKS have traded Dansby Swanson and Jazz Chisholm so far, unreal
Every club has traded away a few future stars. You’re using a recency bias. The Expos gave Cleveland Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Grady Sizemore when they were all prospects in the same deal for Bartolo Colon. I’m sure the Padres would love to have Trea Turner back and the White Sox would love to have Fernando Tatis Jr still. It happens to every team.
This is sad ):