Ryan

Waldschmidt

Waldschmidt came off the bench to hit the homer off Jacob Webb to give the Diamondbacks the win in a game they trailed 4-0 heading into the eighth. The rookie outfielder has homered three times in his limited action, and held his own with a .276/.339/.400 slash in the process. Waldschmidt has a chance to be a strong fantasy option in the future, but despite these heroics, he is better left off fantasy rosters for the time being.

Lawlar has started five of seven games since returning from the injured list, going 4-for-18 with one homer and three RBI during that span. He’ll continue splitting time with fellow rookie Ryan Waldschmidt, who is in center field on Monday night at Chase Field with righty Kevin Gasuman toeing the rubber for Chicago.

Waldschmidt also drew a pair of walks, reaching base safely in four of his five plate appearances during the extra-inning marathon at Fenway Park. The 23-year-old rookie has really turned things around in the last couple weeks and is up to .279/.342/.391 with two homers, 17 RBI and seven steals across 61 games this season.

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.

Waldschmidt was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts on the night before taking Edwin Díaz deep in the bottom of the ninth for his second homer in 182 career plate appearances. In spite of an ugly 15/0 K/BB, he’s 20-for-52 with two homers since the break. He doesn’t really seem like a mixed-league guy at this time, but at least he does have a favorable week coming up against the Rockies and Braves.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine day of rest for the 23-year-old outfielder. Tim Tawa will draw a rare start in center field in his place and will bat ninth against Nationals’ left-hander Carson Palmquist on Friday evening in Washington D.C.

Waldschmidt’s homer was sent 426 feet to left center. He also had the game’s hardest-hit ball with his 108.6-mph single in the eighth. That topped his previous high of 107.8 mph in 38 big-league games. Waldschmidt’s exit velocity numbers haven’t been great in Triple-A or the majors this season, and his 35 percent strikeout rate during his time in the majors is really discouraging. Still, his track record suggests that he will hit, and today seems like a step in the right direction.

No word yet regarding how much time Gurriel will miss, but he’s likely facing a multi-week absence. His departure from Arizona’s outfield mix creates space of Ryan Waldschmidt and Max Kepler to play virtually everyday between center and left field, respectively. The 32-year-old impending free agent has hit .207 (36-for-174) with two homers, 21 RBI and one steal in 189 plate appearances over 47 games since making his season debut back on April 18.

Waldschmidt missed Saturday’s game after suffering a right thumb contusion when he was hit by a pitch on a bunt attempt Friday.

Waldschmidt had a CT scan this morning that confirmed there was no break in the thumb he injured on a bunt attempt Friday. The Diamondbacks have Tommy Troy starting in center tonight.