After picking up two hits in the first two innings of the Diamondbacks’ 7-6 win over the Guardians on August 5th, Gabriel Moreno left the game with a groin injury.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Before the Diamondbacks’ series opener against the Rockies on Monday, manager Torey Lovullo provided an update on Moreno’s condition. Lovullo ruled out surgery for the left abductor strain and expressed optimism that Arizona’s starting catcher would return to the lineup before the end of the season. However, Lovullo did acknowledge that surgery had been considered as an option, according to Jesse Friedman of PHNX Sports.
Since Moreno’s departure, the Diamondbacks have received excellent production from Adrian Del Castillo, who made his major league debut on August 7th. Castillo has collected seven hits in 12 at-bats, including a walk-off home run that secured Arizona’s 3-2 victory over the Phillies on Saturday.
In contrast, Jose Herrera, who has filled in when Castillo hasn’t started, has struggled at the plate. Herrera is just 1-for-11 since stepping in for Moreno, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in the Diamondbacks’ 11-1 win over Philadelphia over the weekend.
The Diamondbacks were also without Gabriel Moreno for a brief period in late June. During that time, with Tucker Barnhart behind the plate, the team went 2-4.
In addition to Moreno, the Diamondbacks are also dealing with the absence of first baseman Christian Walker, who is on the IL with a hamstring strain. The team is hopeful that Walker will return in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, they will rely on Josh Bell, whom they acquired from the Marlins at the trade deadline, to handle first base duties.
