After a stunning run to the World Collection final October, the Diamondbacks as soon as once more discover themselves inching in the direction of the playoffs with a 1.5-game lead over the Braves and Mets within the AL wild-card race. Arizona is within the second of three spots, leaving Atlanta and New York in a tie for the third spot. Whereas there’s nonetheless room for issues to alter, Fangraphs offers the Snakes a powerful 86.4% probability of creating the postseason for the second consecutive yr when all is claimed and completed. Even with these strong odds, the membership will certainly need all the assistance it may possibly get to safe its positioning and head into the playoffs robust.
Luckily, reinforcements are on the best way as supervisor Torey Lovullo instructed reporters (together with Alex Weiner of AZSports) that each catcher Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are “very shut” to being activated from the injured record. The duo have been scheduled to play in a sport on the membership’s Spring Coaching complicated right this moment the place Moreno was set to each hit and catch whereas Gurriel would hit with out taking part in the sector. That leaves Moreno, who has been out for six weeks as a result of a groin pressure, a bit nearer to taking part in within the majors than Gurriel, who’s been out two weeks now with a strained calf.
Moreno, 24, is in his second season with the Diamondbacks after being acquired from the Blue Jays alongside Gurriel within the Daulton Varsho commerce previous to the 2023 marketing campaign. Moreno has established himself effectively as a strong two-way catcher and has posted a .262/.344/.385 slash line with a 105 wRC+ whereas taking part in wonderful protection behind the plate. That two-way expertise has left the Snakes lacking Moreno dearly, as they’ve utilized a mixture of the light-hitting however defensively gifted Jose Herrera alongside teenager Adrian Del Castillo, who sports activities a 138 wRC+ however questionable protection behind the plate.
As for Gurriel, the 30-year-old has hit .274/.316/.428 with a 105 wRC+ that’s similar to not solely Moreno’s personal determine from this yr but in addition the manufacturing Gurriel posted in his first season with Arizona final yr. Luckily for Arizona, nevertheless, Gurriel’s absence hasn’t been felt as a lot as could have been initially anticipated as a result of an offensive explosion on the a part of Pavin Smith, who has slashed an unbelievable .286/.385/.905 with 4 dwelling runs in 9 video games since taking up for Gurriel in left subject alongside Randal Grichuk. Whereas Smith’s 72-homer tempo is clearly not sustainable long-term, his sizzling streak has allowed the membership to submit MLB’s greatest offense by wRC+ (138) in September regardless of dropping a key cog of their lineup for whom they didn’t have an apparent alternative on the prepared.
Gurriel and Moreno aren’t the one two gamers who could possibly be referred to as upon to assist the Diamondbacks head into the postseason, nevertheless. Based on a dialog between GM Mike Hazen and MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, outfielder Alek Thomas and prime infield prospect Jordan Lawlar are each considered “potential” contributors down the stretch and into the postseason. Thomas was optioned to the minors again in August and subsequently suffered an indirect pressure at Triple-A however, per Gilbert, is almost able to return to motion. Thomas has had one other disappointing season offensively with a .191/.248/.362 slash line in 32 video games on the large league stage, however he provides wonderful protection in all three outfield spots that would make him an asset in a bench function.
Lawlar, in the meantime, made it into simply 13 video games earlier than the calendar flipped to September this yr between thumb surgical procedure and a hamstring pressure however lastly made it again into Triple-A earlier this week. Per Gilbert, Lawlar is anticipated to play winter ball this offseason to make up for the reps he misplaced to harm this yr, nevertheless it’s not onerous to think about the membership preferring the 22-year-old to their different bench infield choices like Luis Guillorme and Kevin Newman headed into the postseason. Lawlar was equally included on the membership’s postseason roster final yr when he appeared in three video games and went 0-for-1 with a stroll and a run scored.
