Arizona Diamondbacks Outfield Depth Shrinks Without Jordan Lawlar

The Arizona Diamondbacks rolled into spring training with an outfield that already felt a bit thin. Things got worse fast when Jordan Lawlar broke his right wrist, sending him straight to the injured list and forcing the team to rethink its plans.

Manager Torey Lovullo guessed Lawlar would miss at least six weeks. Arizona now has to juggle a young core that’s still learning the ropes in the majors while dealing with this early setback.

Lawlar’s injury just piles onto an outfield that was already stretched after Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s ACL tear. Add in the ups and downs from Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas, and it’s a lot to handle.

The club had already shaken up its roster by trading McCarthy and shifting Lawlar from the infield to help out the outfield. That move left left field to some younger, less-proven faces.

Spring setback for the D-backs: Lawlar on IL and lineup questions

Injury timeline and immediate roster implications

Jordan Lawlar broke his right wrist during spring and landed on the injured list. Lovullo put the recovery at a minimum of six weeks, which just adds another headache to an outfield already missing Gurriel Jr. and getting uneven results from the rest.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. looks like he’ll return somewhere between late April and early May. The plan is to ease him back as a designated hitter at first, and Lovullo made it clear Lawlar’s injury won’t change that approach.

The D-backs didn’t bring in a veteran fourth outfielder over the winter. So, left field depth is now up to Jorge Barrosa and Tim Tawa. Both guys have barely any major-league experience and need to show they can hold their own—no one wants a black hole in the lineup.

Adrian Del Castillo came up to fill Lawlar’s roster spot. He’ll mostly hit as a DH or pinch-hitter, not really as an outfielder. Lovullo said Alek Thomas will stick in center field when he plays, though Barrosa and Tawa might give him a breather here and there.

Lovullo’s sticking with Thomas in center, while the younger players help out with flexibility and the occasional at-bat in the middle of the lineup.

Gurriel’s return can’t come soon enough. Arizona’s hoping he settles in fast, and that Barrosa, Tawa, and Del Castillo can keep things moving until Lawlar’s back.

Promotions and call-ups will depend on who steps up and how much depth the team actually has. Lovullo left the door open for someone inside the organization to grab a bigger role, especially with the NL West shaping up to be tight this year.

Outfield depth and position battles

The outfield depth chart is going to get a lot of attention all spring. Barrosa and Tawa have to show they can handle big-league pitching without dragging the lineup down.

It’s not just about surviving until Gurriel returns—how the younger outfielders perform could decide if the team makes a move later or sticks it out.

• Jorge Barrosa and Tim Tawa bring some upside, but their big-league resumes are short. That makes it risky if either slips into a long slump.
• Adrian Del Castillo gives the team some flexibility as a DH and pinch-hitter, which should help take the load off Barrosa and Tawa while Lawlar recovers.
• Arizona still has to decide whether to look for a veteran outfielder or just keep betting on its own prospects. They’re hoping to keep the offense steady, even if Gurriel’s timeline changes.

Triple-A depth: Waldschmidt and Robinson ready for a call-up?

Two Triple-A prospects — Ryan Waldschmidt and Kristian Robinson — have been turning heads in the minors. If injuries keep piling up, either one could get the call to the big leagues.

Lovullo says Waldschmidt still needs to find his footing at Triple-A before a promotion. He admits the timeline for a major-league debut is pretty murky right now.

Arizona’s plan mostly relies on homegrown talent stepping up. Waldschmidt’s growth, along with Robinson’s steady progress, might give the D-backs a smoother transition if things get dicey with depth.

The front office is watching both guys closely. They’re trying to juggle immediate needs with the bigger picture, which isn’t easy when you’re competing in a division that feels like a pressure cooker.

 
Here is the source article for this story: D-backs’ OF options get even thinner without Jordan Lawlar