Diamondbacks' Alek Thomas: Being evaluated for activation
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks will assess Thomas (hamstring) on Sunday for activation, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
Thomas played games Friday and Saturday for Triple-A Reno. He started in center field in both, playing nine innings in each. Earlier in the week, the Diamondbacks indicated the plan was for Thomas to play those two games then be evaluated for possible activation. The outfielder has a combined 32 plate appearances while on rehab assignment.
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Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte: Reaches four times in win
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Marte went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and one RBI in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Athletics.
Marte opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning, which was ultimately enough offense for Arizona to win. He's been good over the latter half of June, going 16-for-45 (.356) with seven extra-base hits and 12 RBI over his last 12 contests. Marte is at a .290/.352/.525 slash line with 17 home runs, 49 RBI, 55 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 doubles and two triples across 80 games this year.
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Diamondbacks' Paul Sewald: Grabs 11th save
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Sewald struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Athletics.
Sewald has picked up saves in four straight appearances and in seven of his 10 outings in June. The closer has been virtually untouchable this month, allowing two hits, two walks and two hit batsmen while striking out six over 8.2 innings. He's a perfect 11-for-11 in save chances with a 0.57 ERA, 0.51 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB across 15.2 innings overall.
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Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen: Triumphant in return
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Gallen (6-4) allowed a hit and a walk while striking out seven over six shutout innings to earn the win over the Athletics on Saturday.
Gallen returned from a hamstring injury that cost him nearly a month and took full advantage of a soft matchup. This was the fourth time this season he's gone six innings in a start without allowing a run. He's also posted five quality starts in his last six outings, with the lone exception being the May 30 start that ended with the aforementioned hamstring injury before he could record an out. The right-hander is now at a 2.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 67:16 K:BB through 63.2 innings over 12 starts. Gallen threw 77 pitches (50 strikes) Saturday, so he should be good for a full workload his next time out, which is tentatively projected for a road outing at San Diego.
Diamondbacks' Joc Pederson: Not starting versus lefty
Rotowire
Pederson isn't in Arizona's lineup Saturday against the Athletics.
Pederson will sit down for the second game in a row with the Diamondbacks matching up against a left-handed starter (Hogan Harris) again Saturday. Ketel Marte will fill in as Arizona's designated hitter, allowing Blaze Alexander to start at the keystone while batting second.
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Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll: Resting versus LHP
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Carroll isn't in Arizona's lineup for Saturday's game against Oakland.
The lefty-hitting Carroll will take a seat Saturday with fellow left-hander Hogan Harris slated to start on the mound. Lourdes Gurriel, Jake McCarthy and Randal Grichuk will start across the D-backs' outfield while Carroll rests.
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Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo: Idle Saturday
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Perdomo isn't in the Diamondbacks' lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics.
The switch-hitting Perdomo has posted just a .476 OPS against southpaws since being activated off the injured list June 11, so he'll get a day off against left-hander Hogan Harris. Kevin Newman will enter the lineup as Arizona's shortstop and bat eighth.
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Diamondbacks' Tucker Barnhart: Getting Saturday off
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Barnhart isn't in the Diamondbacks' lineup for Saturday's game versus Oakland.
The switch-hitting Barnhart owns just a .290 OPS against left-handed pitching this season, so he'll take a seat Saturday as the A's send southpaw Hogan Harris to the mound. Jose Herrera will fill in behind the dish and bat ninth.
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Diamondbacks' Brandon Hughes: Sent back to Reno
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks optioned Hughes to Triple-A Reno on Saturday.
Hughes owns a 2.00 ERA through 27 frames at Triple-A, but he allowed four earned runs in 3.1 innings after joining the Diamondbacks' bullpen Sunday. He'll now be sent back to Triple-A to make room for Zac Gallen (hamstring), who was reinstated from the IL in a corresponding move.
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Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen: Reinstated from IL
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The Diamondbacks reinstated Gallen (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Saturday versus Oakland.
Gallen was able to build up to 67 pitches while throwing bullpen sessions and sim games during his time on the injured list, and it's possible he'll be under a pitch count as he makes his first start since May 30. In a corresponding move, Brandon Hughes was optioned to Triple-A Reno.
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Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll: Dropped in order against lefty
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Carroll batted seventh and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Athletics.
Carroll was dropped from the top of the order to seventh against a left-hander, though it's unclear if this was a specific adjustment for one game or part of a larger plan going forward against lefties. Carroll appeared to put a season-opening slump behind him earlier this month but was 3-for-22 (.136) over seven games entering Friday. It seems odd that manager Torey Lovullo would drop him after a one-week slump. More should be learned Saturday, when the A's scheduled starter is lefty Hogan Harris.
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Diamondbacks' Ryan Thompson: Takes loss Friday
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Thompson (3-3) allowed three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one over 1.1 innings, picking up the loss to Oakland on Friday.
Thompson got the final out of the seventh inning of a tie game and was the pitcher of record when the Diamondbacks took the lead. Usually, that means game over -- Thompson holds the lead then Paul Sewald closes it -- but that was not the case Friday. Thompson, who had allowed just four runs over 32 innings and leads Arizona with 11 holds, was roughed up in the eighth. He told Steve Gilbert of MLB.com that he couldn't find the right adjustment to avoid throwing very hittable strikes.
Gurriel went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional RBI and two total runs scored in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Athletics.
Gurriel has multiple hits in seven of his last nine games, going 15-for-35 (.429) in that span. The outfielder's surge has lifted his slash line to .267/.301/.422 with 11 homers, 47 RBI, 37 runs scored and three stolen bases over 76 contests this season. Gurriel's .723 OPS is still the lowest mark of his career, but he's been trending in the right direction for most of June after entering the month with a .642 OPS.
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Diamondbacks' Slade Cecconi: Poor in no-decision
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Cecconi allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven over four innings in a no-decision versus the Athletics on Friday.
Cecconi pitched six times in June, but he completed five innings just once. While he had just one truly awful start in that span, he allowed a total of 15 runs over 25 innings, albeit with a tantalizing 26:3 K:BB. Cecconi is at a 5.81 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 48:11 K:BB through 57.1 innings over 12 appearances (11 starts). He's tentatively projected for a road start versus the Dodgers next week.
Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen: Confirmed for start Saturday
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks will reinstate Gallen (hamstring) from the injured list to start Saturday's game against Oakland, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
After spending nearly a full month on the injured list thanks to a right hamstring strain, Gallen will officially return to the D-backs' rotation Saturday. He never appeared in a rehab game with one of Arizona's minor-league affiliates, though he did throw a handful of simulated games, reaching 67 pitches in his most recent session Monday. It's unclear if the 28-year-old righty will be operating under a pitch/innings restriction during his first start back, but he will certainly have a favorable matchup against an Oakland offense that ranks 28th in MLB in runs scored (305).
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Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno: Catching in AZL on Saturday
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Moreno (thumb) will catch five innings in an Arizona Complex League game Saturday, Jesse Friedman of GoPHNX.com reports.
Moreno was placed on the injured list June 22 due to a sprained left thumb, but Lovullo said earlier in the week that he expects the catcher to return after the minimum 10 days. Barring any setbacks this weekend, Moreno will be eligible to return Tuesday for the beginning of the Diamondbacks' road series against the Dodgers.
