Friday, September 25

Welcome to the D-backs Beat newsletter! I’m Steve Gilbert, and I’ve been writing about the D-backs since 1998. 

For the first few months of the season, not only will what happens on the field be important to follow, but also the rehab of a number of key players. While we have a page that will keep you updated with the essentials, let's dive a little deeper in this newsletter on the players who could return in the next couple of months.

Merrill Kelly

Kelly threw a bullpen at Chase Field on Tuesday and came through it in good shape, which means he is scheduled to start for Triple-A Reno in Albuquerque on Friday night.

"All pitches looked very good," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "He's going to throw in Albuquerque, and we're just going to gauge it from there. And we want to see him go out there and work -- and work successfully and be healthy. Get his pitch count to a certain point, and then we'll read and react from there."

Kelly will be eligible to come off the injured list while the team is in New York, April 7-9, to play the Mets. The initial plan was to have him start one of those games, but for that to happen, he will need to come through Friday night's Triple-A start in good shape and have his pitch count in the 70s.

"I know that we are all targeting New York, but we've got to make sure that it's right and he feels well and that we're going to do the best thing to help this team win a baseball game and make sure that he's ready to go as well," Lovullo said.

Of course, when Kelly does return, the biggest question will be whose place in the rotation he takes. Michael Soroka pitched well in his Arizona debut Monday, striking out 10 over five innings and recording an immaculate inning, so what they do to fit Kelly in remains to be seen.

"I don't know what that answer is," Lovullo said. "I haven't even thought about it, to be honest with you. It hasn't even come up, like, what are we going to do? We've got to make sure Merrill's right. Then we have five days in back of that."

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Gurriel's recovery from the surgery he had in September to repair the torn ACL in his right knee has gone quicker than anyone predicted.

Gurriel looked good this spring and has begun playing in some simulated games at the team's Spring Training site and running lightly out of the batter's box.

The next step will be to play in some unofficial Arizona Complex League games in April before the league is fully underway. The plan would then be to get him in some real games around mid-April.

If all goes well, late April would be the earliest that Gurriel would probably be able to return to the big leagues. It's possible Gurriel could DH when he initially comes back.

"How he responds to the next set of challenges will be important for him," Lovullo said. "But he looked very good and feels great."

A.J. Puk

Puk, who underwent his second Tommy John procedure last year, is a left-handed arm the Diamondbacks would sorely like to have back to help finish off games.

Puk has begun throwing bullpen sessions, and Lovullo speculated that he could return in early June.

Adrian Del Castillo

The catcher missed most of Spring Training with a calf strain, but was set to catch for Triple-A Reno on Tuesday night in Albuquerque.

While it might have initially looked like Del Castillo would be assigned to Reno after his rehab, the injury to Pavin Smith could open a spot for Del Castillo on the big league roster.

Those are just the players expected back in the next couple of months.

When Smith's left elbow didn't respond to treatment and with Del Castillo on the IL, the Diamondbacks elected to call up Jose Fernandez, who debuted with a two-homer game Tuesday night, starting at third base.

Fernandez, the club's No. 27 prospect, had an impressive camp for the Diamondbacks and was one of their standouts in the Spring Breakout game.

Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said at the time Fernandez was optioned that he very well could be in the Majors this year. It was a message that Hazen and Lovullo delivered to Fernandez at that time.

“I was ready for what could happen,” Fernandez said via interpreter Alex Arpiza. “It was the first thing I was told when Spring Training started, that I was going to Triple-A, but that I was ready to climb at any time. I didn’t expect it to be so soon, but I was ready for that.”

For Fernandez to get his first start, veteran Nolan Arenado was given the night off as Lovullo attempts to manage the 34-year-old's workload to keep him fresh for an entire season. It was a scenario Lovullo told the third baseman about when they first met this spring.

"I said, 'I'm going to give you some days off. I know you're not used to them, but I'm going to do it,'" Lovullo said.

On Friday, following the game with the Braves, the Diamondbacks will have their first postgame fireworks show of the season, presented by Budweiser.

On Saturday, there will be a postgame concert from The All-American Rejects; admission is free with a game ticket. There is also an option to upgrade for on-field access during the concert.

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