Jake

McCarthy

The Diamondbacks are not locked into the “seller” role, but unless something changes in the next few weeks, it would be smart of them to consider offers for players who are not likely to be part of their future. Grichuk seems to be the most likely to be dealt since he’s playing on a one-year contract with a mutual option for next season. Gurriel has $13 million guaranteed for 2026, which could make it harder for the Diamondbacks to find a trade partner for him, and they may be less inclined to trade Thomas, who used to be one of the top prospects in baseball and is under team control for a few more years.

There’s little incentive for the Diamondbacks to take any chances with next week’s extended All-Star break on the horizon. It’ll be Jake McCarthy taking over in center field and Randal Grichuk entering the lineup at DH on Tuesday night against the Padres.

McCarthy took Hayden Birdsong deep for a three-run homer in the fourth inning to give the Diamondbacks the lead. He now has a hit in six straight games since he was recalled from Triple-A. The 27-year-old outfielder has started every game at right field over the last week in Corbin Carroll’s absence.

McCarthy also drew a walk and scored another run. The homer is his first in the majors in 2025, while the steal is just the second. McCarthy showed flashes of being a fantasy option a few years ago, but these games have just been too few and too far between.

McCarthy will get another chance after batting .314/.401/.440 in 49 games for Triple-A Reno. That line sounds OK, but it’s Reno; McCarthy hit .369/.457/.597 in his first stay there in 2022 and .360/.414/.594 in 45 games there in 2023. Odds are that McCarthy will be a liability as a likely starter against righties, though since he can steal bases, he might offer a little fantasy value in deeper leagues.

Not good. The Diamondbacks are seeking multiple medical opinions after Carroll underwent an MRI and CT scan on Monday that revealed a chip fracture in his left wrist. There is no timetable for his return at the moment, but fantasy managers should prepare for an extended absence. It’s a devastating blow to Arizona’s offense as he’s been their primary top-of-the-order catalyst this season with 20 homers and 10 steals through 72 games. It’ll be Jake McCarthy coming up from Triple-A Reno to fill his roster spot, presumably to platoon with Randal Grichuk in right field.

McCarthy has split time with Alek Thomas in center field this season for Arizona, hitting .073 (3-for-41) with zero homers, three RBI and one steal through 14 games. He can be safely dropped in nearly all fantasy formats. There’s been no indication yet that top prospect Jordan Lawlar is on his way to Arizona, but the move frees up a roster spot. Draw your own conclusions.

McCarthy was back in Arizona’s lineup for the first time since last Sunday when he was hit by a pitch and dealt with hand soreness afterwards. He’ll continue to split time with Alek Thomas in center field until further notice as part of a platoon situation.

McCarthy will get his first action since Sunday after being plunked in the hand. The outfielder has scuffled with the bat in 2025, but the D-Backs will give him a shot to turn it around before handing the job full-time to Alek Thomas.

Thomas has also started four of the last five and seems to have wrestled away the starting job from Jake McCarthy pretty firmly for now. Thomas is just 24 years old and is a former top prospect, so it makes sense for Arizona to continue to give him a chance to play full-time. So far, he’s hitting .308/.364/.462 in 44 plate appearances with 10 RBI and two steals. He seems to have a slightly more aggressive approach this season, pulling and barreling the ball more often, which could make him an intriguing fantasy asset for batting average and steals.