Diamondbacks Face Infield Challenges in Aftermath of WBC

Lovullo addressed the challenges of missing these players and now getting them back up to speed as a cohesive unit.

"We went from four infielders in one day to eight infielders, and it's great. It's great to have the group back, and now it's time to get ready and really hone in on some of the things that are going to be important," Lovullo said.

Their absence has created some challenges in getting prepared for the season. The manager expressed some concern, pointing out that normally he would be pulling the starters together about four days earlier than this point in spring to get them more playing time together as a unit.

"Now they'll have to play catch-up. "I'm going to force-feed that a little bit," said Lovullo.

He indicated his starters would need to play back to back games together on Friday and Saturday, and then again on Monday and Tuesday at Chase Field in the exhibition games against the Guardians. Four games together as a unit is going to have to be good enough.

Ketel Marte Out of Wednesday's Lineup

In fact, Santana, Perdomo, and Arenado are all in Wednesday's lineup against the Cubs, but Marte is not. Lovullo said that Marte was open to being the DH for this game, but he already needed to put Corbin Carroll in the DH spot as part of the medical team's return to play protocol for the star right-fielder. Carroll is recovering from hamate bone surgery.

Marte is likely to get some live at-bats on the backfields on Thursday while the team is at Camelback Ranch playing the Dodgers. He will play Cactus League games Friday and Saturday, and again on Monday and Tuesday against the Guardians.

Eduardo Rodriguez On Track for Rotation Spot

Lovullo had some concerns going into this week whether or not Eduardo Rodriguez would get enough work in to prepare for his spot in the rotation.

"I had asked that group [Team Venezuela] to throw him for 50-plus pitches. I asked that group to start him, and they did, getting him over the 50-plus pitch marker was crucial."

Rodriguez got in 4.1 innings and threw 57 pitches. The fifth up-down, and getting close to 60 pitches puts him in good shape to go at least five innings and 70-plus pitches in his final tune-up for the regular season.

Gabriel Moreno Progressing Towards Opening Day

Gabriel Moreno began his throwing program on Wednesday, and said he was throwing about 70%, without any pain. Lovullo described him as "asympotmatic." Lovullo had called Moreno's issue elbow inflammation, though the catcher described it Wednesday as a nerve issue. Either way, Moreno felt good and no discomfort at all while throwing.

Moreno also had three at-bats on the backfields. The plan is for him to DH one of the two exhibition games against the Guardians and catch in the other to then be ready for opening day.

Rotation and Closer Announcements

Lovullo said that he will likely confirm his rotation order within the next few days. Last week I projected the order to be Gallen, Pfaadt, Nelson, Rodriguez, and one of Merrill Kelly or Michael Soroka.

As for closer, Lovullo said he will wait until opening day to announce who the closer will be, and even then it might be a game-time decision.

"I probably won't say anything until opening day, and I've got to go out there and execute a game plan and win a baseball game, you'll start to see the pattern at that point," said Lovullo

Lovullo is likely being coy here, and also diplomatic towards the other relievers in the competition. His previous comments gave strong indications it's likely to be Paul Sewald.