Right-hander Scriber picked to start Saturday

Right-hander Troy Scribner will start for the Diamondbacks on Saturday against the Nationals at Chase Field, manager Torey Lovullo said on Friday.

Scribner, 26, was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels in early April. He has made four career major-league starts and has spent all of 2018 with Triple-A Reno.

After five starts with the Aces this season, Scribner has a 2-1 record to go along with a 5.68 ERA. He struck out 24 batters in 251⁄ innings and allowed 12

3 walks and five home runs.

Scribner has made 10 career appearances in MLB, all of which came with the Angels in 2017. He made four starts from August 4-29 and posted a 4.32 ERA and a .180 batting average against in 162⁄ innings. He allowed six home

3 runs, walked seven and struck out 15 batters.

Lovullo said the organization is interested to see how Scribner will perform on Saturday.

“The conversation and trust with player development shows up because the big-league staff has really never seen (Scribner),” Lovullo said. “The player development staff worked hard with him and recommended him. There’s a lot of trust and communication between departments and we’re excited to see what he offers. … He’s developing a strategy and a game plan right now.”

Scribner expressed his own excitement at seeing his first big-league action since last September.

He said his brother, Evan, will be in attendance on Saturday. Evan was a 28th-round pick by the Diamondbacks in 2007 and pitched in 145 games with the Padres, Athletics and Mariners over a seven-year career.

“Everybody’s just excited and hopefully I’m in a good spot,” Scribner said. “Hopefully I can help the team win some ball games. It seems like a good place to be at. I really like all the guys so far.”

Miller hits big checkpoint

For the first time since his injury last April, Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller pitched in a live game and threw 33 pitches.

Miller, who was been sidelined since undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, pitched three innings in an ex- tended spring training game on Friday and used all four of his pitches.

“It was a pretty special moment for him and for all of us,” Lovullo said of Miller’s outing. “I remember about a year ago at this time he came into my office and he sat down and we talked about what his strategy was going to be. ... We talked about a day like today where it was going to come full circle and be special.”

Updates on injured players

❚ Right-handers Randall Delgado and Braden Shipley each played catch from 90 feet and had “aggressiveness” in their throws, Lovullo said.

❚ Third baseman Jake Lamb had a full day of baseball activity on Friday at Chase Field and could begin a rehab assignment this weekend, according to Lovullo.

❚ Outfielder Steven Souza Jr., who dove for a ball in right field on Thursday, did not aggravate his shoulder injury and his absence from Friday’s lineup was predetermined and not injuryrelated, Souza said.

❚ Ray has still not thrown a baseball but said that his pain has mostly subsided.