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Arizona Diamondbacks’ outfield dilemma, who gets the start?

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Ben Bliklen | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 11:09 PM ET

One of the biggest questions the Arizona Diamondbacks have for the 2025 season, is who gets the start at center field. The position seems to be gauged by performance and matchup based research.

Starting with Jake McCarthy, who was one of the Arizona Diamondbacks most explosive hitters in 2024 (.285/.349/.400.) Point Break Jake, as some people call him, not only has been navigating through the waters.. but flies through them too. One of the fastest guys on the basepaths, he looks like he is speeding down Mavericks. He is definitely a fan favorite, a clubhouse guy, and in my opinion the favorite to start opening day at center field for the Diamondbacks.

Alek Thomas, another fan favorite after his memorable moments during their 2023 playoff run, had a downturn year the following season. Whether it was injures, or just consistency on the offensive end, Thomas definitely had a season he would like to put behind him. Thomas has a couple bullet points that McCarthy does not, as he is one of the leagues best defensive outfielders. It seemed like it was doomed from the start, after during the first week of the season he suffered a hamstring injury that seemed to derail it right off of the bat. Thomas must be sure hoping this season isn’t a doom.. but a boom! (I’m sorry, I had to.)

Something about this Dbacks outfield feels special, it’s nice having options. Both fan favorites, and of course, Torey Lovullo of all people wants to see them both succeed, and he should be able to put them both in a position to.

Maybe it’s the smell of the freshly cut grass, or the scent of popcorn and hotdogs, could be the sounds of the crack of the bat.. getting back to baseball, will hit differently.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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