Perdomo headed for MRI; Grichuk activated
ATLANTA — Geraldo Perdomo might have looked good going through pregame agility drills, but he did not feel good, and the Diamondbacks shortstop is headed for an MRI on his sore right knee on Saturday.
It is a potentially troublesome development for the Diamondbacks, who just a few weeks ago looked awash in shortstop depth but suddenly now appear stretched thin.
Shortly before Opening Day, the Diamondbacks lost top prospect Jordan Lawlar to a torn ligament in his right thumb that required surgery. Lawlar was scheduled to open the year as the everyday shortstop in Triple-A Reno. He is expected to miss at least two months.
Perdomo is now dealing with more issues in the same knee that caused him problems during spring training. He reinjured it running the bases in the 10th inning on Wednesday.
Perdomo underwent an MRI on the knee in March that revealed no structure damage, manager Torey Lovullo said.
With Perdomo down, shortstop Blaze Alexander will be vaulted into a more prominent role, though Lovullo is trying to be careful not to thrust too much on the
DBacks’ Geraldo Perdomo leaves the game with an injury on Wednesday against the Yankees in the 10th inning. rookie’s plate at once. That, he said, was why he had Jace Peterson in the lineup on Friday night against Braves right-hander Spencer Strider.
“I know everybody is probably wondering why Blaze isn’t (starting),” Lovullo said. “Blaze’s time is coming. Blaze will get some opportunities. I just want to have him get some footing, have him get some really good matchups and then he’ll be on his way.”
The Diamondbacks are scheduled to face left-handers in four of the remaining five games of the road trip, and Lovullo said it is “not a mystery” that Alexander will start “against every lefty” while
Perdomo is out.
Lovullo has made a habit of trying to take pressure off young players, particularly early in their careers. He did it last year, for example, with both outfielder Corbin Carroll and catcher Gabriel Moreno, either by giving them days off or hitting them lower in the lineup until they established themselves.
DBacks activate Grichuk, option Barrosa
The Diamondbacks reinstated outfielder Randal Grichuk from the 10-day injured list on Friday. To make room, they optioned outfielder Jorge Barrosa to Triple-A Reno.
Grichuk underwent surgery to have bone spurs removed from his right ankle in January, and when he signed with the Diamondbacks in February he thought that if he wasn’t ready in time to make the Opening Day roster he would not be far behind.
It played out exactly that way, with Grichuk missing only the first seven games of the season. He played four games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno, hitting .286/.375/.500 with a homer and a walk in 16 plate appearances.
He is not in against Braves the lineup on Friday right-hander Spencer
Strider but figures to be in the lineup the next two days when the Diamondbacks face lefties Max Fried and Chris Sale. He also could come off the bench late in the game if any of the Braves’ four lefty relievers make an appearance.
Barrosa played in three games this week after replacing center fielder Alek Thomas on the roster, going 2 for 10 with a double and an RBI.
Short Hops
● Manager Torey Lovullo said lefthander Eduardo Rodriguez was expected to be throwing his scheduled bullpen Friday in Arizona — his first time off the mound since going down with a left shoulder injury last month — but Lovullo did not know how it went.
● Center fielder Alek Thomas is doing tee work and throwing and seems to be progressing well from his left hamstring strain. It is possible he will begin running sometime next week.
● Closer Paul Sewald (oblique) got out to 90 feet in his throwing program, Lovullo said.
● Lovullo also said left-hander Jordan Montgomery was expected to join Triple-A Reno on Saturday in advance of his first minor league rehab start on Sunday, in which he was expected to throw four innings and 65 pitches.