Ketel Marte and Christian Walker are closing on a return from their respective injuries. John Gambadoro, co-host of The Burns & Gambo Show on Arizona Sports, reports that the Diamondbacks are targeting the series against the San Francisco Giants on September 3-5, but have some boxes to check before getting activated from the injured list.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Christian Walker and Ketel Marte both getting close to returning. Both have some boxes to check but I believe the Giants series that starts Tuesday is a target date.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) August 28, 2024
That is encouraging news for the Diamondbacks, who have had to play the last two weeks without their best three players. Marte was having an MVP-caliber season before suffering a left ankle injury against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 10. After an unsuccessful attempt to play through pain for a week, he was placed on the injured list. Christian Walker was on pace for another 30 home run and 100 RBI season before a left oblique strain has kept him out the past four weeks.
In the final four weeks of the regular season, the Diamondbacks will have both players anchoring their lineup. Like last year, both players are critical for Arizona to make a deep postseason run. It will be important to get them back into the flow of the season, with the hope they both get hot entering the postseason. Their likely road to the postseason will have more clarity following a four-game wraparound series against the Dodgers, as it will determine their ability to win the National League West division.
The Diamondbacks must figure out how to best deploy their players on the active roster. They can carry 14 position players on their active roster starting on September 1, allowing them to carry an extra infielder, although they’ll also have to send someone down to Reno to account for both Walker and Marte. Pavin Smith is the obvious odd man out in this situation, due to his ability to be optioned to the minor leagues and being somewhat redundant with Josh Bell as a backup first baseman.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
