Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returns to the lineup, but the Arizona Diamondbacks decision to demote productive rookie Ryan Waldschmidt over struggling veteran Pavin Smith leaves fans questioning the front office.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is back for the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the corresponding move has fans questioning everything.
Even with a guy like Pavin Smith batting just .103, the team still decided to send outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt down to Triple-A.
Keep in mind, Waldschmidt, with nearly 100 more at-bats, is batting .259. Obviously, the 23-year-old is still new to the big leagues, but this is a move that could halt his development and it's at the expense of a 30-year-old designated hitter who seems to do everything but hit the ball.
Gurriel Returns to the Diamondbacks
After a brief stint on the injured list, Gurriel is back. He last appeared in a game on Friday, May 22. The nine-year veteran has fewer than 100 at-bats this season, but it's not like the team had anything in mind other than putting him back on the big-league roster.
At 36-35, the Diamondbacks are in a very interesting spot. Everyone is slumping in the National League West right now, and it's worth noting Arizona is only a game and a half back on San Diego. That said, they're still an alarming 8.5 games behind the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Overall, Gurriel needs to pull his weight. His .589 OPS simply isn't going to cut it, but looking at how this team has made decisions lately, it's not like anyone expects Gurriel to go anywhere anytime soon. He's been with Arizona since 2023, and there are far bigger things to worry about than his spot in this lineup.
Why Waldschmidt Over Smith?
There's certainly an argument to be made that Smith should've been sent down or designated for assignment, but it's not like he's the only liability on this team. Calling Waldschmidt a liability is a stretch, but this is clearly just roster manipulation as Arizona tries to navigate their outfield depth.
Then again, Jorge Barrosa is only 25 years old and hasn't exactly been a huge asset either. Looking at his .172 batting average and .554 OPS is an eye-sore, to say the least. Waldschmidt is clearly the guinea pig in this situation, but that's a hard pill to swallow when looking at this roster and seeing so many glaring numbers.
Waldschmidt will have his chances in the future, no doubt, but Arizona is battling for a playoff spot and moves like these put the team in a conversation that could easily be avoided.
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