PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks are reinstating first baseman Pavin Smith from the injured list ahead of their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Tim Tawa is being optioned to make room for Pavin Smith
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 1, 2026
According to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, the club is optioning Tim Tawa to Triple-A Reno as the corresponding move.
Smith had missed significant time while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow during the D-Backs’ first series against the Dodgers on Opening Week. Now, Arizona has another left-handed bat in one of the most critical moments of the season.
Jun 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (26) hits a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
After going 11-2 across four series against the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, the Snakes couldn’t carry that momentum into their series against the Seattle Mariners. They suffered a three-game sweep, marking the club’s struggles against teams above .500, as they are 8-19 against such opponents.
Facing the defending champions, who are currently 38-21, the challenge only gets tougher.
Jun 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (26) fields the ball in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The first baseman does have strong numbers against Los Angeles, however, hitting .364 with a .409 slugging percentage over seven games (22 at-bats) against the Dodgers last year. Having Smith back could help spark an offense that needs to break out of its slump following the Seattle series.
Arizona now turns to one of its biggest division tests of the season, hoping Smith’s return can help stabilize the lineup and provide immediate production in a key stretch of games.
Mar 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith (26) hits a RBI single during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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