Arizona’s Best Batter Joins Club’s Top Pitcher On MLB Injury List

The title chances of the Arizona Diamondbacks were last seen heading out to sea on an injury wave threating to burst into a tidal wave.

The 2003 National League champions had already lost star pitcher Corbin Burnes, relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, and catcher Gabriel Moreno when All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll – widely considered their best player – suffered a fractured wrist over the weekend.

For the D’backs, who entered play Tuesday just two-and-a-half games short of the National League’s third wild card berth, that news hit with the force of another nail in the coffin.

Leadoff Leader

Carroll, 24, has 20 homers in 72 games and is a catalyst at the top of the lineup. He has nine extra-base hits in 13 games this month.

Although the team placed the slugger on the injured list, it did not indicate how long he’ll be out with what was termed a “chip fracture” in his left wrist. Carroll is a left-handed hitter.

The 2023 NL Rookie of the Year was hurt when Toronto relief pitcher Justin Bruihl hit him on the wrist with a sinker that didn’t sink. The pitch was timed at 91 mph.

It’s just the latest and greatest disaster for the Diamondbacks. Burnes needed Tommy John elbow surgery expected to cost him the rest of this season and most of next. Ditto Puk and Martinez.

Moreno will return sooner from his fractured index finger but his absence may last well into July.

Three Fill-Ins

It may take three men to replace the young All-Star. The team has already announced that Geraldo Perdomo will be the new leadoff man, Randal Grichuk will play right field, and Jake McCarthy – promoted from Triple-A Reno – will fill the vacant roster spot.

Fortunately for manager Torey Lovullo, Arizona has a robust offense even without Carroll’s speed-plus-power package. Ketel Marte is having another All-Star season and could be joined on the NL’s squad for this year’s game by Eugenio Suarez, who hit four home runs in one game against Atlanta.

Josh Naylor and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also swing potent bats.

The D’backs entered play Tuesday fourth in the NL West at 40-38. They rank third, trailing only the Dodgers and Yankees, with an average of 5.19 runs per game.

Carroll, the catalyst, had 58 extra-base hits – 22 of them home runs – and 35 stolen bases last season.