D-Backs recall Kennedy, move out Rivera, Robinson

The Diamondbacks optioned slumping third baseman Emmanuel Rivera on Saturday while also designating outfielder Kristian Robinson, moves that paved the way for infielder Buddy Kennedy to return to the big leagues.

The moves come amid the backdrop of a Diamondbacks offense that has slumped for the better part of six weeks, the primary cause of the lengthy losing skid that has derailed their season.

Rivera owned a staggering .361/.391/ .472 line as recently as June 12, but has slumped badly since, going just 20 for 113 (.177) with six extra-base hits in his past 33 games.

Kennedy, meanwhile, has swung the bat well for Triple-A Reno all year, hitting .318/.447/.480 with more walks (70) than strikeouts (65). Kennedy has always been known as a bat-first type player whose defense has lagged; reports this season have suggested he remains a subpar defender.

Robinson’s news comes as something of a surprise. Long regarded as one of the club’s better prospects, he missed the past 3 1/2 seasons of development due to a combination of the pandemic and legal problems stemming from an incident with a law enforcement officer.

He returned to action in May, splitting time mostly between Low-A and High-A while posting a .271/.384/.452 line with seven homers and 18 steals in 185 plate appearances.

His numbers are tough to evaluate given his age (22) relative to the levels, but his performance looks better when viewed in the context of a player who had rust to knock off after so much idle time.

Robinson had been on the 40-man roster since November 2021. For most of that time, he did not count against the team’s roster limits because he had been on the restricted list.