Kevin

Newman

This makes two-of-three appearances for Newman where he’s picked up three hits, and it’s helped his average bump up to .272 from the .253 mark he carried prior. The infielder is capable of slashing the baseball around, but he just doesn’t do enough in other categories — and it’s not like he’s close the league-leaders in average — to justify a fantasy spot.

The D-backs don’t play tonight, but they couldn’t wait to send Smith down, even though he was hitting .268/.311/.518 with three homers and 14 RBI in 61 plate appearances. This move suggests that both Kevin Newman and Blaze Alexander will stick around after Geraldo Perdomo comes off the IL tomorrow. Newman will likely get some starts over Perdomo at shortstop against lefties, while Alexander will see most of his time at other positions.

Newman poked a single to right to score a pair of runners and turned a potential 5-4 loss into a 6-5 win. The 30-year-old former first-rounder has hit just .253 even with those four hits, and what was once an intriguing fantasy prospect is now someone who can be ignored on waivers. Monday was a good one, however.

Alexander will retreat to the bench for the series finale against Baltimore. Kevin Newman will instead start at shortstop and hit eighth against Dean Kremer and the Orioles.

Newman was responsible for the only run for the Diamondbacks with a solo shot in the sixth inning. The 30-year-old is still hitting a lackluster .186/.205/.372, and there just aren’t enough nights like this one to consider him as a viable fantasy option.

Alexander will miss his second straight contest due to a relatively minor right hamstring issue that cropped up over the weekend. The 24-year-old rookie slugger has been outstanding so far in his first taste of the majors with a stratospheric .945 OPS with three homers, 13 RBI and one steal through 18 contests.. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. It’ll be veteran Kevin Newman drawing another start at shortstop in his absence.

Alexander exited Sunday’s game with a right hamstring cramp, and he’ll get a breather in this one. Watch his status in the next day or so. Kevin Newman will cover shortstop duties Monday.

All things considered, that’s a fairly positive development, as Alexander shouldn’t be forced to miss much time with the ailment. Kevin Newman replaced him at shortstop on Sunday and could be in line for increased action if Alexander is forced to miss a game or two.

Newman will take the roster spot of Geraldo Perdomo after Perdomo was placed on the injured list due to a tear in his right meniscus. A former top prospect, Newman will likely see starts at shortstop and second base while with the team, but his skill set isn’t likely to produce fantasy relevancy.

Perdomo will need to undergo surgery, and he’s expected to miss at least one month. With the 24-year-old out of action, the Diamondbacks will likely use Blaze Alexander as their everyday shortstop, but Nick Piecoro of AZ Central reports that the team will also add Kevin Newman to the active roster. Don’t expect to see Perdomo back in the lineup for the Diamondbacks until the middle of May, at the earliest.