The Diamondbacks dropped right fielder Corbin Carroll further in the lineup, moving into the No. 7 spot against the New York Yankees and right-hander Gerrit Cole for their game on Friday night, Sept. 18.
It is the lowest Carroll has hit in the starting lineup since Aug. 30, 2024.
“Corbin is grinding right now,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We all know it.”
Aside from a couple of home runs over the past week, Carroll has largely remained stuck in a deep funk at the plate, one that has lasted nearly a month. Since Aug. 24, Carroll is hitting .147/195/.293 with three walks and 27 strikeouts in 82 plate appearances.
"If we’re going to build an inning with the top-shelf guys there one through four, I’m looking for a little bat-to-ball in certain situations
to score some runs," Lovullo said. "Just give him a chance to catch his breath down there, take a little pressure off him.
“He wears it as hard as anybody. I’ve told him just to worry about him being himself and not letting the team down,'' Lovullo added. "That’s what generally happens with young players: When they’re used to carrying the workload, they feel like when they don’t get the job done they are letting the group down. That’s not the case with Corbin. I want him to just catch his breath a little bit, switch the deck and see where it takes us.”
Carroll had been hitting in the top three spots in the lineup all season before dropping to the No. 5 spot two weeks ago.
Moving up to the No. 5 spot vs. the Yankees is first baseman Pavin Smith, who rejoined the team from Triple-A Reno earlier in the week. Smith had a home run, a single and a deep fly ball in Wednesday’s loss to the Marlins.
—Nick Piecoro
Diamondbacks juggle rotation ahead of Yankees series
The Diamondbacks rearranged their starting rotation ahead of this weekend’s Yankees series, moving left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez up a day to start Friday and pushing right-hander Brandon Pfaadt back to Saturday, Sept. 19.
Lovullo mentioned a handful of reasons for the move, including that by having Rodriguez pitch on Friday and Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Colorado, lines him up to possibly pitch an inning in relief on Sunday, Sept. 27, in San Diego, as well as be available to start Game 1 of a potential wild-card series.
“My anticipation is that every game is going to be meaningful,” said Lovullo, whose team will need to gain at least one game on the Padres ahead of their season-ending series at Petco Park.
Lovullo said the club preferred to have Rodriguez face the Rockies, adding that the Padres are no longer as susceptible against lefties as they were earlier in the season.
“We did a lot of work and dug in and just felt like … Eduardo (pitching on the) last day in Colorado was going to give us the best chance to win a game,” he said, “and those last three guys in San Diego would give us the best chance to win a game.”
Presumably, the club would have Pfaadt and fellow right-handers Corbin Burnes and Merrill Kelly start the final three games.
—Nick Piecoro
Diamondbacks injury updates
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Thompson (strained lower back threw 20 pitches in one inning as he works his way back from the 60-day injured list. Thompson will be off to Triple-A Reno on Sunday, Sept. 20, to get some work, Lovullo said.
Pitchers Andrew Saalfrank (left shoulder repair) and Cristian Mena (right shoulder strain), both on the 60-day injured li,st have started their throwing programs by throwing off flat ground.
-Jose M. Romero
Yankees at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (15-6, 2.62) vs. Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (8-9, 3.67)
At Chase Field: Rodriguez gave up six runs (three earned) in 5⅓ innings against the Rangers. Errors by 3B Nolan Arenado and LF Lars Nootbaar were costly in the Rangers’ three-run fifth inning. … It stopped a strong stretch of six consecutive starts in which Rodriguez had posted a 1.96 ERA. … Rodriguez has faced the Yankees 25 times (23 starts) in his career, posting a 3.80 ERA. He last faced them in 2023 as a Tiger, giving up three runs in six innings. … Cole has made 20 starts in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. In 115⅓ innings, he has 117 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP. … His average fastball remains a robust 96.8 mph, but he has not been missing bats with his entire repertoire the way he did in previous years. … Cole has faced the Diamondbacks six times in his career, posting a 1.96 ERA, but he has not seen them since 2018, his first season with the Houston Astros.
Coming up
Saturday, Sept. 19: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-3, 3.77) vs. Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler (14-6, 1.95).
Sunday, Sept. 20: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Corbin Burnes (0-0, 5.87) vs. Yankees RHP Will Warren (10-6, 3.89).
Monday, Sept. 21: Off.
Tuesday, Sept. 22: At Colorado, 5:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (8-5, 3.45) vs. Rockies RHP Mason Adams (0-1, 5.09).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Yankees at Diamondbacks live updates. Carroll dropped in lineup
