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Diamondbacks Place Gabriel Moreno On 10-Day Injured List

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The Diamondbacks announced that catcher Gabriel Moreno has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained left thumb.  Jose Herrera has been called up from Triple-A, and Herrera with team with Tucker Barnhart as Arizona’s catching combo until Moreno has recovered.

Moreno’s injury took place in last night’s game, as the backstop’s glove hand was hit by a Cristian Pache foul ball in the third inning.  Moreno tried to stay in the game but the discomfort eventually forced him to make an early exit in the sixth frame.  D’Backs manager Torey Lovullo told media (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports) after the game that x-rays were negative on Moreno’s thumb, so the catcher at least avoided a more serious structural injury that would’ve cost him more time or even possibly threatened his season.

Heralded as one of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the Blue Jays’ farm system, Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. were acquired by the D’Backs in exchange for Daulton Varsho during the 2022-23 offseason.  Moreno’s first full season saw him win a Gold Glove, hit .284/.339/.408 in 380 plate appearances, and then excel in Arizona’s playoff run to the NL pennant, seemingly cementing his place as one of the sport’s up and coming stars.

However, the sophomore slump seems to have bitten Moreno in his follow-up campaign, as he has hit only .230/.313/.346 with three homers over 217 PA.  A .261 BABIP hasn’t helped his efforts, though Moreno isn’t making much hard contact.  On the plus side, his strikeout and walk rates are both well above average, and Moreno’s defense remains remains elite.

NL West Notes: McCarthy, Barnhart, Molina, Slater

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The Diamondbacks have gotten a lot of trade interest in outfielder Jake McCarthy but Arizona isn’t yet interested in dealing the 26-year-old, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes.  This isn’t the first time McCarthy’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, though the buzz quieted after McCarthy turned in a lackluster 2023 season.  The outfielder finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, but followed up that breakout campaign by hitting only .243/.318/.326 over 312 plate appearances last season.  McCarthy’s struggles resulted in a loss of playing time and even a demotion to Triple-A, plus an oblique injury kept him from being a part of Arizona’s postseason rosters during the team’s run to the World Series.

Randal Grichuk is expected to begin the season on the injured list, so McCarthy should probably land a job as the Diamondbacks’ fourth outfielder for at least the start of the year.  He also has a minor league option remaining, so the D’Backs could stash him back at Triple-A if necessary.  It is worth noting that the D’Backs were reportedly open to moving either McCarthy or Dominic Fletcher in February’s trade with the White Sox that sent Fletcher to Chicago, though in the wake of that deal, Arizona might not be willing to further deplete their stock of young outfielders by also moving McCarthy in another trade.  Nightengale feels McCarthy might be more of a trade chip later in the season, if the Diamondbacks are having trouble finding playing time or a roster spot available for him.

More from around the NL West…

  • Minor league signing Tucker Barnhart looks to have won the Diamondbacks’ backup catching job, as The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro (X link) was among those to note that the D’Backs optioned Jose Herrera to Triple-A today.  Herrera acted as Gabriel Moreno’s backup last season once Carson Kelly was let go in August, but Arizona will now turn to the veteran Barnhart as a more experienced bench option.  Barnhart has won two Gold Gloves over his 10 MLB seasons, spent mostly with the Reds before one-year stints with the Tigers and Cubs over the last two seasons.
  • Right-hander Anthony Molina will make the Rockies’ Opening Day roster, according to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (via X).  Selected as the third overall pick of the Rule 5 Draft last December, Molina was an international signing for the Rays who posted a 3.64 ERA over 301 2/3 innings in Tampa Bay’s farm system, including a 4.37 ERA in 55 2/3 Triple-A frames last season.  The 22-year-old worked mostly as a starter last year but now looks slated for a bullpen role in Colorado.  As per the stipulations of the Rule 5 Draft, Molina will have to remain on the Rockies’ active roster for the entire season in order for the Rox to claim his rights, or else Colorado will have to offer him back to the Rays.
  • Austin Slater returned to the field yesterday and is also set to play in today’s game, marking the Giants outfielder’s first action since last weekend.  Slater has been bothered by discomfort in his right elbow, which is a troubling sign since Slater underwent surgery on that same elbow last October to both remove a bone spur and address some nerve problems via an ulnar nerve transposition.  His recovery led to a slower start to his Cactus League work, and Slater has played in only six games this spring, so manager Bob Melvin told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Shayna Rubin and other reporters that Slater might need to start the season on the injured list.  As Slater himself told Rubin and company, “The quantity of at-bats, I’m not super concerned about.  It’s more about feeling healthy and being able to bounce back the next day which, at this point, I haven’t been able to do.”  If Slater isn’t available for Opening Day, Luis Matos is the likeliest candidate to step into the backup/platoon outfield role.

D-Backs Promote Jordan Lawlar

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September 7: The Diamondbacks have now made Lawlar’s promotion official, announced that move and Ahmed’s DFA today. They also activated catcher Seby Zavala, claimed off waivers this week, and recalled right-hander Ryne Nelson. Catcher José Herrera and right-hander Bryce Jarvis were optioned in corresponding moves for Zavala and Nelson.

September 6: The Diamondbacks are calling up top infield prospect Jordan Lawlar, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). They’ll presumably make the move official tomorrow in advance of a pivotal four-game series against the Cubs. Arizona is designating Nick Ahmed for assignment in a corresponding move.

Lawlar seems likely to take over as the primary third baseman. Piecoro wrote this afternoon that the Snakes were considering him as an option at the hot corner. Lawlar made his first professional start there with Triple-A Reno last night. That’s obviously a very limited look, but teams generally feel comfortable moving shortstops to other infield positions.

A Dallas native, Lawlar was regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2021 draft class coming out of high school. He somewhat surprisingly lasted until the sixth pick, though Arizona went above slot with the third-highest signing bonus to add him to the system.

Lawlar’s draft season was cut short by an injury to his left shoulder, which required surgery. He didn’t show any signs of rust the following year, though. The right-handed hitter put together a .303/.401/.509 batting line in his first full professional season. He reached Double-A Amarillo late last year, an impressive achievement for a player who had just turned 20 years old.

That huge showing cemented Lawlar’s status as one of the sport’s most talented prospects. Arizona assigned him back to Amarillo to begin the 2023 campaign. He started relatively slowly but has caught fire since the weather warmed up. Lawlar has an OPS north of .900 in the minors for each month since June. He hit .263/.366/.474 in 410 Double-A plate appearances overall to earn a bump to Reno in mid-August. Lawlar has only appeared in 16 games there, mashing at a .358/.438/.612 clip.

While he’s had the benefit of playing in favorable hitting environments, Lawlar’s cumulative .278/.378/.496 line on the year is strong. He’s walking at a quality 11.4% clip against a decent 20.6% strikeout rate. He has popped 20 homers, 23 doubles and four triples and gone 36-41 in stolen base attempts.

Baseball America recently slotted Lawlar as the sport’s #9 overall prospect, while Kiley McDaniel of ESPN placed him 25th. As his numbers indicate, he’s generally viewed as a well-rounded player with solid tools across the board. McDaniel suggests that a lack of a standout carrying tool could keep Lawlar more as a quality regular than a true star. Even if Lawlar doesn’t have quite the same upside as some top prospects, most evaluators seem confident in him being a productive everyday player at the major league level.

Whether that’ll be the case immediately could have an impact on this year’s playoff picture. Arizona beat Colorado this afternoon and remains tied with Miami, half a game behind the Reds for the final NL Wild Card spot. The Cubs occupy the second Wild Card position, so Arizona has a chance to directly make up ground when they head to Wrigley.

There’s risk with any prospect, particularly one who only has a year and a half of minor league reps under his belt. Yet Lawlar brings more offensive upside than Arizona’s current third base mix. The Snakes have used a combination of Jace Peterson, Emmanuel Rivera and occasionally Evan Longoria at the hot corner. While Rivera had played reasonably well early in the season, they’ve gotten almost nothing out of the position lately. Arizona third basemen are hitting .195/.298/.305 since the All-Star Break.

Geraldo Perdomo has also cooled off at shortstop after an All-Star first half. Yet he’s playing well enough overall to keep the hold onto that job, seemingly pushing Lawlar to the other left side infield position for now. It stands to reason Arizona still views Lawlar as a shortstop option if Perdomo gets injured or goes through an extended slump.

He’ll retain his rookie eligibility going into next season. If the D-Backs carry him for a full service year, Lawlar could net them an extra draft choice if he plays well enough to win Rookie of the Year or finish top three in MVP balloting during his pre-arbitration seasons. That’s a much further off possibility. For now, his focus will be on trying to help a young and increasingly exciting Arizona team to the postseason.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Diamondbacks Place Gabriel Moreno On 10-Day Injured List

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Prior to today’s game against the Reds, the Diamondbacks placed catcher Gabriel Moreno on the 10-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation.  Catcher Jose Herrera was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.

Carson Kelly will be Arizona’s starting catcher while Moreno is sidelined, though Kelly had taken an increasingly large share of the playing time over the last several weeks due to Moreno’s lingering shoulder issue.  “It’s something we’ve been trying to manage for some time,” manager Torey Lovullo told MLB.com and other media, and the club ultimately decided that an IL stint was necessary to allow Moreno time to rest up.

In his first full season in the majors and in his first season altogether with the D’Backs, Moreno has hit .270/.316/.360 with three homers over 244 plate appearances, translating to an 82 wRC+.  It hasn’t been in the instant impact the D’Backs were hoping to get from the former top prospect, though it is safe to guess that this nagging shoulder problem has had some impact on Moreno’s hitting.  While his bat and pitch-framing are still a work in progress, Moreno has already established himself as one of the game’s best throwing arms.  Moreno has nabbed 11 of 18 runners trying to steal, for the highest caught-stealing percentage (61%) of any backstop in the league.

Due to a fractured forearm in Spring Training, Kelly has been limited t0 20 games and 63 PA, and he has hit only .183/.206/.250.  Beyond Herrera, Ali Sanchez and Juan Centeno are the only other catchers in the Diamondbacks’ system with any MLB experience, so if Moreno is projected to be out for anything beyond the minimum 10 days, catching might emerge as a need for the D’Backs heading into the trade deadline.

Arizona probably wouldn’t pursue anything more than another depth catcher if Moreno will eventually be back, yet it creates another target for a D’Backs team that is already known to be looking for both starting and relief pitching.  GM Mike Hazen has said his front office will “be aggressive” in looking for upgrades, and the D’Backs are in need of a spark in general after a miserable July.  Arizona has lost 12 of its last 16 games, including today’s 7-3 loss to Cincinnati.

Diamondbacks Designate Anthony Misiewicz For Assignment

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The Diamondbacks announced a series of roster moves today, reinstating catcher Carson Kelly from the 60-day injured list and left-hander Joe Mantiply from the 15-day injured list. In corresponding active roster moves, right-hander Kevin Ginkel and catcher José Herrera were optioned to Triple-A Reno. To open a spot for Kelly on the 40-man roster, left-hander Anthony Misiewicz was designated for assignment. Additionally, the club reinstated outfielder Kyle Lewis from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Reno.

Misiewicz, 28, was acquired from the Cardinals in a cash deal right as the season was beginning. He has since bounced on and off the Diamondbacks’ roster, spending about three weeks on the injured list due to a calf strain while also being optioned several times. Amid all of that, he’s made seven appearances for the big league club with a 5.63 ERA.

That’s obviously a small sample size that’s come amid several interruptions and his larger track record is stronger. He’s made 126 total appearances in the majors now, dating back to the 2020 season. he has a 4.51 ERA overall with a 23.3% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 38% ground ball rate. In the minors this year, he’s tossed 13 2/3 innings with a 2.63 ERA, striking out 28.6% of opponents while walking 8.9%.

The Diamondbacks will now have a week to trade Misiewicz or pass him through waivers. Left-handed relief tends to always be in demand and Misiewicz has some good results on his ledger. He also has a couple of option years remaining, including this one, giving him plenty of roster flexibility. He also has between two and three years of major league service time, giving him plenty of club control as well. Given those factors, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him generate interest from one of the other clubs in the league. If he were to clear waivers, he would not have the right to elect free agency since he does not have a previous career outright or three years of service time.

He has lost his roster spot with Arizona in order for them to welcome back Kelly, who was hit by a pitch in Spring Training and fractured his forearm. That has kept him out of action for the entire season so far. The 28-year-old has been inconsistent in his career, alternating between good and bad seasons recently. He hit .245/.348/.478 in 2019, hitting 18 home runs and walking in 13.2% of his plate appearances. He had a rough showing in the shortened 2020 season by slashing .221/.264/.385 but bounced back with a .240/.343/.411 line in 2021. Last year, he dipped again and finished the campaign at .211/.282/.334.

That mercurial offense has come with generally reliable league average defense, however. His Defensive Runs Saved tally has been between +2 and -2 in each season of his career and his overall tally is exactly zero.

While he’s been out this year, most of the playing time behind the dish has gone to Gabriel Moreno. Acquired from the Blue Jays in the offseason, Moreno is having a decent campaign. His .280/.318/.366 line amounts to a wRC+ of 85 but he has +5 DRS. It will be interesting to see how the playing time is distributed going forward, as Moreno is the younger player and larger part of the club’s future but Kelly is the more experienced. Moreno is 23 years old and can be retained for five more seasons after this one while Kelly is a month away from turning 29 and has just one more year of club control remaining.

Diamondbacks Activate Jose Herrera

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MAY 24: Herrera has been reinstated from the injured list. Greiner, who’d apparently been selected as a designated COVID substitute, has been returned to Reno and removed from the 40-man roster.

MAY 19: The D-Backs have selected catcher Grayson Greiner onto the major league roster. Fellow backstop José Herrera has been placed on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.

Greiner signed a minor league deal with the Snakes during Spring Training. That marked his first experience outside the Tigers’ organization, as he’d spent seven-plus seasons with Detroit since they nabbed him in the third round of the 2014 draft. Greiner tallied 477 big league plate appearances between 2018-21, hitting .201/.274/.309 with nine home runs.

The righty-hitting backstop has spent this season with Triple-A Reno. He’s mashed at a .351/.429/.514 clip through ten games, and he’s now in line for his first MLB action of the season. The Diamondbacks are without Carson Kelly because of an oblique strain, leaving Daulton Varsho as the primary backstop.

Herrera had been Varsho’s backup, but he’ll be out for an indeterminate amount of time. Arizona has also lost Kyle Nelson, Cooper Hummel and Nick Ahmed to the virus list in recent days. Herrera, 25, is hitting .125/.222/.150 through his first 18 MLB games.

Diamondbacks Select Jose Herrera

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The D-Backs announced this afternoon they’ve selected catcher Jose Herrera to the 40-man roster. The move keeps him from qualifying for minor league free agency. Arizona’s 40-man is now full.

Herrera, 24, has been in the Diamondback organization for his entire career. The Snakes signed him as an amateur out of Venezuela during the 2013-14 international period, and he’s slowly progressed up the minor league ladder. Herrera reached the high minors for the first time in 2021, splitting the campaign between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. Over 360 cumulative plate appearances, the switch-hitting backstop posted a .258/.364/.422 line with eleven homers, drawing walks at a robust 14.2% clip.

That solid showing impressed the D-Backs front office enough they decided not to risk losing Herrera in free agency. He joins Carson Kelly and Daulton Varsho as catchers on the Arizona roster.

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