Right fielder Corbin Carroll said he hopes the lower back issue has dealt with for the past two days is a “short term” issue, and he is again in the Diamondbacks’ lineup for their series finale on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 2.
Carroll said he first felt something in his back when he got up off the bench during the game on Monday night, Aug 31.
“Just spasmed up on me a little bit,” he said.
He appeared to be in discomfort while running the bases in the ninth inning on Monday, then looked increasingly bothered throughout the game on Tuesday night, Sept. 1.
Carroll was asked if he feels it when he is hitting.
“I think it doesn’t really hurt, but I might be compensating a little bit; I’m not sure,” he said. “I feel like it is something that should be short-term.”
Manager Torey Lovullo made it sound a night earlier like Carroll was pounding the table to be in the lineup. Carroll’s version was a little less dramatic.
“I didn’t push to be in the lineup; they put me in the lineup, honestly,” Carroll said. “I said, ‘I’m not going to take myself out. If you guys think I need to come out, I’ll come out. But I’m good to go.’ That’s the way I look at it.”
In other pregame news, second baseman Ketel Marte is out of the lineup for what Lovullo described as a planned day off.
“He had been off for 13 days and we wedge him in there a couple days,” Lovullo said. “This was something we had talked about, and I just wanted to make sure that once we got to Houston and started to layer in the days on defense that he was going to be ready to go. I’m looking for him to play as many games as possible.”
Lovullo said right-handers Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka each will go four innings and throw 60 pitches in a simulated game on Friday, Sept. 4, at Salt River Fields. Both could be candidates to come off the injured list next week in Kansas City, as could right-hander Corbin Burnes, who will throw three or four innings and 50 pitches in a bridge camp game on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Right-hander Ryne Nelson will throw an inning on Saturday, Sept. 5, on a rehab assignment with Low-A Visalia.
—Nick Piecoro
Phillies at Diamondbacks, 12:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34.
Diamondbacks RHP Taylor Clarke (2-3, 2.60) vs. Phillies RHP Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.95)
At Chase Field: The Diamondbacks wanted to get through the first two games of the series before they decided on a starter for this game. They announced Clarke would start late Tuesday night. ... RHP Jose Cabrera could figure into the plans in some fashion, but if the bullpen is fresh, he might not be needed much. ... Cabrera gave up two runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Giants last week in San Francisco. … Painter, 23, was a first-round pick by the Phillies (13th overall) in 2021 but has yet to live up to expectations. He made his major league debut this season. Across his past six starts, he has posted a 3.78 ERA in 33 1/3 innings with 32 strikeouts. … Painter has faced the Diamondbacks once, in his third major league appearance, allowing a run on three hits with seven strikeouts while pitching five innings in middle relief on April 12. He was expected to start that day but was scratched due to a migraine.
Coming up
Thursday, Sept. 3: Off.
Friday, Sept. 4: At Houston, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (9-12, 5.08) vs. Astros RHP Cristian Javier (1-5, 6.45).
Saturday, Sept. 5: At Houston, 4:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-2, 3.49) vs. Astros RHP Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.66).
Sunday, Sept. 6: At Houston, 11:10 a.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (14-5, 2.59) vs. Astros RHP Ethan Pecko (1-0, 6.23).
(This story has been updated to add information.)
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phillies at Diamondbacks live. Carroll talks about injury, Marte out
