Nolan

Arenado

Arenado will get a breather after starting each of the first six games for the Diamondback out of the break. He’s hitting .245/.323/.430 this year and .259/.348/.586 in 16 games in July. Ildemaro Vargas is starting at third base.

Arenado is the sixth active major leaguer and 299th player all-time to reach 2,000 hits. He’s a bit higher on the career list with his 424 doubles. He moved out of a tie with Willie Stargell and Victor Martínez in that category tonight and is now tied with Chili Davis and Raul Ibañez for 155th place.

The D-backs scored three times in the sixth and twice in the seventh before Arenado’s homer tied the game in the eighth. They went on to win on Max Kepler’s single in the bottom of the 10th. Arenado has four extra-base hits and six RBI in his six games against his previous organization this year. The homer was his 13th in 93 games, overtaking his total of 12 in his 107 games with St. Louis last year.

Arenado also drew a walk. The 35-year-old took Landon Knack deep for his 12th homer of the season and extended the D-backs’ lead to 9-2. Arenado has hit .243/.318/.413 in his first season with Arizona, and while that’s a far cry from his best seasons with the Rockies and briefly with the Cardinals, it’s serviceable. You can do worse than serviceable.

It looks to be nothing more than a routine day of rest for the 35-year-old third baseman. Tim Tawa will start in his place at the hot corner and will bat seventh for the D’Backs against Brewers right-hander Brandon Sproat.

Arenado delivered a two-out, two-run double off of Kyle Harrison in the third inning that tied the game up at three runs apiece. That’s how the score would remain until the Brewers finally struck for four runs in the top half of the 11th. The 35-year-old slugger is having a decent season overall at the plate, slashing .242/.314/.395 with nine homers and 36 RBI in his first 315 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks.

After a nice May, Arenado came into this one having hit just .167/.220/.202 with no homers in his previous 23 games. Tonight’s homer was legit, though, traveling 397 feet to left. He has nine in 79 games on the season, putting him on the same pace as last year, when he had 12 in 107 games.

Arenado went 0-for-4 in his return to Arizona’s lineup during Sunday’s game against the Mariners after missing three contests due to a combination of groin and elbow issues. The 35-year-old defensive wizard appears unlikely to miss any additional time moving forward.

It’s unclear if it’s because of the groin strain that cost him two games or the elbow bruise he suffered getting plunked as a pinch-hitter last night, but he again appears to be day-to-day. Jose Fernandez started at third base against the Mariners.

Arenado is also likely sporting an elbow bruise after getting plunked as a pinch-hitter in Friday’s game. Nevertheless, he’s playing third base tonight.