Before the series against the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks announced a series of roster moves.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Today's #Dbacks roster moves. pic.twitter.com/w1JcavU9lb
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 2, 2024
There is some good news, as Gabriel Moreno and Alek Thomas are back from the injured list, but also some bad news with Jordan Montgomery joining the list of injured starters.
Moreno suffered a left thumb sprain in the Diamondbacks’ 5-4 win over the Phillies on June 21 and was placed on the IL the following day, but will only miss the minimum 10 days. José Herrera was called up from Triple-A Reno and will remain on the roster as the primary backup for the third straight season.
While the offense has not been as good as last season, Moreno is a capable bat at the bottom of the Diamondbacks lineup that also plays high-level defense at catcher. In 2024, he’s hitting .230 with three home runs and a .659 OPS. His 89 wRC+ is right line with the positional average of 90 according to FanGraphs.
Moreno had a five-inning rehab appearance with the complex league on Saturday.
Alek Thomas is officially back after straining his hamstring on March 31. The Diamondbacks have missed his defense in center field, despite Corbin Carroll’s best efforts to fill in. Thomas is 3-for-14 at the plate with a double and a home run in 2024. Carroll will now slide into right field, with Jake McCarthy taking on a fourth outfielder role and Randal Grichuk now the primary DH vs. left-handed pitching.
Montgomery joins the list of injured starters, along with Merrill Kelly and Eduardo RodrÃguez, with right knee inflammation. Without any updates on the nature of the injury, it’s unclear how long the left-hander will be out. The Diamondbacks will be without his services for at least the next 15 days. Potentially taking Montgomery’s place in the rotation will be right-hander Cristian Mena. Alex Weiner, Diamondbacks beat writer for Arizona Sports, reports that Mena has a locker in the clubhouse.
Cristian Mena is in the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) July 2, 2024
Alexander found himself to be the odd man out in the position player mix with Thomas coming off the IL. The Diamondbacks will use a combination of Eugenio Suárez, Kevin Newman, and possibly Geraldo Perdomo at third base for now. In Triple-A, Alexander now has an easy path to get everyday at-bats at the position without having to worry about his next start. He acquitted himself well in his first major league stint, hitting .259/.328/.361 (97 OPS+) in his first 58 games, albeit with major left vs. right platoon splits.
Hollowell was a waiver claim by the Diamondbacks in June. The 6’7″ right-hander was designated by the Rockies, with injuries keeping him on the shelf since debuting with Colorado in 2022. He’ll have an opportunity to provide some coverage for the bullpen that will utilize Joe Mantiply as an opener against the Dodgers.
Barnhart’s departure from the Diamondbacks was reported by the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro on Sunday, and then covered here at Burn City Sports. Despite the veteran catcher making the Opening Day roster, the team has decided to move on after hitting .173 in 31 games.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
