PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks entered spring training with a bucket full of injuries already, making it imperative to avoid as many long-term additions as possible to a crowded injured list.
As baseball goes, Arizona couldn’t even get through three full series without one of those, as starting left fielder Jordan Lawlar broke his right wrist in Thursday’s loss.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo that Lawlar could miss at least six weeks with the injury and Arizona officially placed him on the injured list Friday before facing the Atlanta Braves.
It’s a brutal turn of fortune for Lawlar, a player that already has a lengthy injury history and had been looking by far the most comfortable he had in the majors.
“He sounded good,” Lovullo said of Lawlar, who he spoke with on Friday morning. “There’s disappointment in his voice because he’s injured and he’s finally getting his opportunity to get some consistent at-bats but, having dealt with this before, I feel like he understands what’s around each corner.”
The D-backs were already sort of making things work out of a slim group of outfield options as it was.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tearing his ACL in early September and the inconsistent form of both Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas last season had serious questions posed for what type of makeover could be in store for the two spots to Corbin Carroll’s right.
The answer was trading McCarthy, keeping Thomas and moving the once-prized prospect Lawlar out of the infield.
It should be noted that Lawlar spent a chunk of time in the spring playing center field, which wasn’t a major vote of confidence in Thomas and inspired speculation of Lawlar taking over in center once Gurriel returns.
Gurriel is still projected for a return in late April or early May, for a tremendous recovery timeline. The D-backs plan to bring him along slowly, with plenty of time as a designated hitter. Lovullo said nothing changes on the plan with Gurriel or his timeline based on the Lawlar injury.
There was no Randal Grichuk-esque addition made in the offseason, a matchup-based bat that could also serve as the fourth outfielder.
Instead, that depth group is now composed of Jorge Barrosa and utility man Tim Tawa.
Tawa has 31 appearances in the outfield since debuting in 2025, including a start in left field already this season and a second in the lineup on Friday.
“I’ll give ’em both opportunities,” Lovullo said. “They’re both playing good baseball right now, so they’re both going to get opportunities. … I’m not going to say one over the other right now.”
The duo has more to prove before getting penned as certified major leaguers.
Tawa, 26, sported a .620 OPS in 225 plate appearances last season as a rookie utility player, having his moments as a contributor.
This could prove to be a crucial handful of weeks for Barrosa. The 25-year-old got his first run in a regular role last September and was 6-for-35 with two walks and a homer, good for a .205 OBP and .462 OPS.
Lovullo said both could even spell Thomas in center field, such as the days when a left-handed starting pitcher is on the bump for the opposition. He also confirmed Thomas will stay in center field when he plays.
The roster addition in Lawlar’s place was Adrian Del Castillo, an expected factor in the designated hitter and pinch hitter rotation throughout the season. He does not play the outfield.
There are two notable prospects starting for Triple-A Reno that you wonder if we will see before the end of April.
If Tawa and Barrosa replicate their offensive production from last season, can Arizona afford to be getting a sub-.600 OPS return at one position? Thomas could also keep struggling. He’s 3-for-23 with three doubles and a walk.
There was lots of buzz about 23-year-old Ryan Waldschmidt in the spring, a top-100 prospect in baseball and the best in Arizona’s system. The thought from the outside is he would at some point join the D-backs outfield group before the end of the season.
While he didn’t make the Opening Day roster, which would have had him leapfrog Triple-A entirely, is this the type of injury that could lead to him getting called up earlier than planned?
“I don’t know that answer,” Lovullo said. “I want Waldy to go down there and get his own footing in Triple-A and find his way to the big leagues in the right time. He’s gonna be a big leaguer. It’s just a matter of when.”
Waldschmidt prior to Friday’s action was 5-for-22 in Reno with six walks, two doubles and a triple. That’s good for a .393 OBP and .802 OPS.
The other name is Kristian Robinson, who has had an eventful handful of years, going from a highly-rated prospect to one on the fringes. Now 25 years old, Robinson made his Triple-A debut last year, playing 41 games for the Aces before starting this year at that level.
Robinson is 4-for-18 in five games with two walks and a triple.
