Jordan Lawlar’s homer helps D-backs clobber Reds

He’s sitting even after going 3-for-5 with a homer last night. It’s unclear if this is easing Lawlar in as he returns from the IL or if sitting him against righties is just part of the plan. Things are also complicated by Nolan Arenado being locked into the DH spot at the moment. Lawlar has mixed-league upside while healthy, but he’s probably not a great bet here for the final five weeks.

Lawlar, who missed two months with a hamstring strain, just hit five homers in the final four games of his rehab assignment with Double-A Amarillo. He was used only in center field during his rehab stint, so the D-backs clearly intend to use him there, probably in a job share with Ryan Waldschmidt. Waldschmidt can move to left when both are in the lineup. There’s a chance Lawlar will offer some mixed-league value, but he’d need regular playing time and that doesn’t seem assured right now. Of course, the homer binge has to help his cause.

Lawlar kicked off a minor league rehab assignment last week and will get a couple additional contests under his belt before returning to Arizona. The 24-year-old former top prospect has shown some flashes this season, but he’s been plagued by injuries, which have limited him to just 12 games.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters Saturday that Lawlar underwent an MRI that showed healing, but the issue isn’t completely resolved yet. He hit the injured list with a right hamstring strain back on June 20. The 24-year-old former top prospect has shown some encouraging signs at the plate this season, but he’s been snake-bitten by injuries, which have limited him to just 12 games. He hasn’t been cleared to resume running at full speed, so he’ll need to continue building up that progression before he’s cleared to return.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that Lawlar is “in a good spot,” but there is no timeline for his return as of yet. He will get more imaging done over the weekend to verify the progress of his healing and determine the next steps.

Lawlar missed two months after suffering a fractured wrist in his sixth game of the season in April. Now he’s back on the IL after injuring his hamstring in his sixth game after returning to the lineup. Manager Torey Lovullo said there’s some hope Lawlar could beat a potential four- to six-week timeline, but it seems likely that he’s out through the break. The Diamondbacks didn’t recall Ryan Waldschmidt as Lawlar’s replacement, instead choosing Tim Tawa, so it looks like Jorge Barrosa is about to see a significant playing time increase. They can also use Tommy Troy in center, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left and Adrian Del Castillo at DH in search of more offense, not that Del Castillo has provided much to date.

Lawlar just can’t seem to stay healthy for any length of time. He had two hits before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning Friday. If he needs to return to the IL, the D-backs could bring Ryan Waldschmidt back to the majors.

It’s become routine for clubs to hold a player out following their return from a lengthy stint on the injured list, which applies to Lawlar in this case. The 23-year-old former top prospect made an immediate impact in his return to Arizona’s lineup, collecting a pair of hits and two RBI during Friday’s win over Cincinnati. The on-field results haven’t been there for fantasy managers to completely trust Lawlar yet, but he’s certainly talented enough to make a significant impact, if everything comes together for him. He was off to a strong start before suffering a fractured wrist back in early April.

In addition to his two hits, Lawlar was also hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and later came around to score to tie the game at 2-2. The 23-year-old outfielder came up big for the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning when he singled to drive home Geraldo Perdomo and Ildemaro Vargas to extend the Diamondbacks’ lead to 5-2. This was Lawlar’s first game since returning from the 60-day DL. He did a little bit of everything in this one and provided a nice spark to the offense in his return. His progress will be worth monitoring as he looks to get back in the groove of things after an extended absence.

Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy are both playing almost every day of late, but we’d guess Lawlar’s lineup plans involve going through Troy in left field. Lawlar had hit .333/.400/.556 in 20 plate appearances before fracturing his wrist in April. One of the better prospects in the sport over the past few years, fantasy managers would be wise to keep an eye on Lawlar. The fact that he qualifies at third base in most leagues doesn’t hurt either.