SAN DIEGO — Ketel Marte is back in the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ lineup for Tuesday, July 8, against the Padres, after missing the previous game with right groin tightness. Marte is batting second, playing second base.

“I think he’s in a good spot,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “He wants to play, he’s back in there today.”

But the Diamondbacks, for the second straight night, had a late scratch from the lineup. Alek Thomas was originally set to play center field and bat eighth, but was removed and is day-to-day with right knee soreness.

The new lineup has Randal Grichuk as the DH batting eighth. Jake McCarthy, originally the DH for July 8, was moved to center field and bats seventh.

In other injury news, closer Shelby Miller has returned to Phoenix and was undergoing imaging on his right forearm strain on July 8.

Reliever Ryan Thompson’s tests revealed a strained shoulder and neck area, and DH/1B Pavin Smith’s imaging confirmed a medical diagnosis of a strained right oblique.

“Feeling much better,” Lovullo said of Smith.

Right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman (hip) is operating on a Tuesday and Friday game schedule in which he pitches in Arizona Complex League games. He was scheduled to throw in one such game on July 8.

“He feels really good,” Lovullo said. “But we want that buildup to take place, we want him to get some innings, log some time on the mound, and when he’s ready and gets back here on the mound, he doesn’t have any more setbacks.”

Fluidity was Lovullo’s operative word when asked about how he will decide who closes games for the Diamondbacks in Miller’s absence. The team is missing three closers due to injury, in Miller, A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez.

“We’re going to just piece it together the best we can,” Lovullo said. “We’re going to make sure that everybody’s available and they can go out there and throw on a given night. And then we’ll just match up the best that I can.”

Kevin Ginkel was tapped to finish the game on July 7, and got the save. Jalen Beeks and Kyle Backhus, a pair of left-handers, are also in the mix as closers.

Ginkel said all he wants to do is help the team in whatever role he can, in hopes that the Diamondbacks are buyers at the trade deadline.

“I know how good a pitcher I am and that’s what I’m falling back on,” Ginkel said. “When you pitch in the ninth, their hitters are trying to put their A-plus swing together in their approach. … It doesn’t matter the score. To me, the guy that’s pitching in the ninth, it’s important to give your best stuff.”

Ginkel wasn’t told at any point before or during the game on July 7 that he would be the closer that day, but he knew it could come down to him.

“At the end of the day, I’m going to focus on whenever that phone rings,” he said.

Alek Thomas avoids collision with Corbin Carroll

When Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas made a critical sliding catch on the warning track in the bottom of the ninth inning to take away a Padres’ potential extra base hit on July 7, he was close to colliding with right fielder Corbin Carroll on the play.

Thomas said Carroll did a good job not being over-aggressive for the ball so Thomas could accelerate and make the play.

Thomas isn’t one to place a lot of stock in what the catch probability metrics say because those numbers can be inflated and actual plays like the one he made are more difficult than how the likelihood of a ball being caught is measured. All he thinks about is catching the ball.

“Definitely a flawed system,” he said. “They might need to fix it.”

“I think his ability in center is super underrated in this game,” Ginkel said of Thomas. “It should be paid attention a little bit more for how good he is and how he can track balls down. It just shut down their momentum.”

Diamondbacks at Padres, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34

Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (7-4, 3.55) vs. Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (9-2, 3.25).

At Petco Park: Kelly has given up a home run in each of his past four starts, but he has not allowed more than four earned runs in any of them, and has pitched at least five innings in each. He is 2-2 in his past six starts and has finished five innings in 17 of 18 starts. Kelly feels there is still room for improvement, but there’s no denying that he has been one of the more consistent starters for the Diamondbacks in 2025. As the team continues to hover around being sellers at the trade deadline, Kelly’s name has come up in potential trade talk. He is 9-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 17 career starts against the Padres. … Pivetta has been one of the Padres’ best pitchers this season, and on June 15, he held the Diamondbacks to two runs on two hits over seven innings, with nine strikeouts. Pivetta is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career appearances against Arizona. He’s played most of his career with the Phillies and Red Sox.

Coming up

Wednesday, July 9: At San Diego, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (8-6, 5.42) vs. Padres RHP Dylan Cease (3-8, 4.62).

Thursday, July 10: At San Diego, 6:40 p.m. Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-5, 5.78) vs. Padres RHP Stephen Kolek (3-4, 4.24).

Friday, July 11: At L.A. Angels, 6:38 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (5-2, 3.39) vs. Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (2-6, 4.19).