First baseman Walker sidelined by groin strain
Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker suffered a right groin strain and is considered day-to-day, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
Walker, who did not participate in either Monday’s workout or intrasquad game, might have suffered the injury making a play on a ball during Sunday’s game, Lovullo said, adding that Walker underwent an MRI on Monday.
Asked if Walker is going to be delayed for the July 24 opener, Lovullo said it was “hard to say” before sounding a more optimistic tone.
“We think he’s going to be hopefully ready for Opening Day – or I do,” Lovullo said.
Walker is coming off a breakout 2019 season in which he hit .259 with 29 homers and an .825 OPS. He entered camp as the club’s primary first baseman.
With the National League featuring the designated hitter this season, Walker’s injury – should it lead to an extended absence – could create a domino effect that could open the door for both Jake Lamb and Kevin Cron to get in the lineup at the same time.
Bouncing back
When asked about pitchers who have stood out thus far camp, the first name pitching coach Matt Herges mentioned was that of right-hander Taylor Widener, who tossed four shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out five on Thursday.
Herges said Widener has shown the ability to command three pitches – his fastball, slider and change-up – and noted that his disappointing 2019 season could help him in the long run.
“I’ve always been a believer that if you go through a really hard time, a rut or a slump, I’d rather it happen in the minor leagues,” Herges said. “If you can come out of it – and it happens because everyone is going to run into something at the big league level – you’ll know how to get out of it, you won’t just keep spiraling down.”
In 100 innings with Triple-A Reno last season, Widener posted an 8.10 ERA with 41 walks and 109 strikeouts and 23 home runs allowed. He entered last season as one of the club’s top prospects; he was acquired from the New York Yankees as part of the threeteam deal that also brought Steven Souza Jr. to the Diamondbacks.
Instant feedback
Chalk shortstop Nick Ahmed up as a fan of the pitch location data the club has been displaying on the video board in real time during workouts and games this past week at Chase Field.
“This is the first time I’ve actually seen it in real time,” Ahmed said. “We always go back in postgame and are able to look at it then, but to be able to see it live is pretty cool. It’s very fresh in your mind.”
Ahmed said he believes the data is true when it’s evaluating pitches in and off the plate but might be slightly inaccurate on high and low pitches.
“It’s possibly still off a little bit just based on the guy’s height or where the breaking ball started and landed and stuff like that,” Ahmed said.
Short hop
Right fielder Kole Calhoun was back at camp again on Monday, Lovullo said, after having “passed through the protocol,” which suggests his absence on Sunday had something to do with coronavirus testing. Calhoun missed most of the first eight days of camp following a positive COVID-19 test.