{"id":536691,"date":"2026-03-13T01:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T01:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/536691\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T01:00:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T01:00:09","slug":"projecting-the-diamondbacks-opening-day-lineup-2-weeks-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/536691\/","title":{"rendered":"Projecting the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day lineup 2 weeks out"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCOTTSDALE \u2014 The winter is officially ending \u2014 just look at the upcoming weather forecast in Phoenix \u2014 and Arizona Diamondbacks baseball games will start counting in two weeks on March 26.<\/p>\n

Arizona named Zac Gallen its Opening Day starting pitcher<\/a> on Wednesday, as he replaces Merrill Kelly, whose progression was halted by a nerve irritation in his back this spring.<\/p>\n

All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll is already playing in spring training games<\/a> one month after getting surgery to remove a broken hamate bone, and Carroll says he is on track to start the regular season on time.<\/p>\n

While there is still plenty to sort through in the rotation and bullpen, notably the decision of whether or not Kelly will start on the injured list, the D-backs\u2019 position player group has cleared up to a degree with the minor league reassignments of many prospects and dark horse candidates such as outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt and infielder Tommy Troy.<\/p>\n

The position player group is not completely settled, but here\u2019s what the Opening Day starting lineup could look like two weeks out \u2014 keeping in mind that the Diamondbacks will play the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will likely start a right-handed pitcher based on who\u2019s available.<\/p>\n

Projecting Diamondbacks\u2019 Opening Day lineup<\/p>\n

SS Geraldo Perdomo
\n2B Ketel Marte
\nRF Corbin Carroll
\nC Gabriel Moreno
\nDH Pavin Smith
\n3B Nolan Arenado
\nCF Jordan Lawlar
\n1B Carlos Santana
\nLF Alek Thomas<\/p>\n

Top 3 is clear<\/p>\n

Picking the top three was easy, it\u2019s just the order that is uncertain. Marte likes hitting second against righties, and that\u2019s where he\u2019s slotted<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n

Perdomo is a natural lead-off man, an elite hitter at working counts and getting on base for the big bats behind him. Perdomo finished second in the National League in on-base percentage last year at .389.<\/p>\n

Carroll\u2019s speed also makes him a lead-off candidate, but having runners aboard when he comes up given his power (32 home runs last year) is a benefit. Having his speed on base ahead of Marte could be a weapon, too, but that\u2019s not how it lined up last year when the D-backs were a top-six scoring offense<\/a> so let\u2019s go with the chalk order.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust thinking about it for the first time out loud,\u201d manager Torey Lovullo said on Thursday. \u201cKetel likes to lead off against lefties and hit\u00a0second against righties. That\u2019s his preference. Perdomo has no preference whatsoever. I think Corbin is very\u00a0flexible. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll just depend on what I\u2019m seeing, the\u00a0conversations I have. Those are our top three hitters. What that order is, I don\u2019t know at\u00a0this point, but they can all impact the game and impact the ball and I\u00a0want them to come up with men on base. That\u2019s the responsibility\u00a0of the bottom half of the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carroll suffered a broken right hamate bone at the start of camp, but he jumped back into a game on Wednesday as the designated hitter and will do so again on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Clean-up<\/p>\n

The Diamondbacks do not have a typical clean-up hitter to bat behind the top three, no Christian Walker or Eugenio Suarez. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit fourth last August but will start the year on the injured list \u2014 although seemingly not for very long.<\/p>\n

Moreno is the most reliable hitter left on the board, having improved throughout his career (.786 OPS in 2025), with the ability to work counts and hit the ball to all fields. He lowered his ground ball rate last year and hit into fewer double plays, while he\u2019s been focused on improving his power this offseason. His career high for home runs is only nine, but he finished 2025 with a .911 OPS with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n

With the questions surrounding Arenado\u2019s declining stats, Lawlar having yet to prove himself in MLB, Santana\u2019s age (39) and Smith\u2019s inconsistencies over the years, Moreno looks like the most trustworthy option, at least until Gurriel comes back. Moreno hit fourth to end last year, as well.<\/p>\n

Setting the corners<\/p>\n

Veterans Arenado and Santana are expected to raise the level of Arizona\u2019s defense on the corners.<\/p>\n

The 34-year-old Arenado will man the hot corner daily, trusting several offseason adjustments to find another wind at the plate. There were more questions about how often Santana would start when the D-backs signed him this offseason, but Smith has had his lumps defensively this spring, so keeping Santana on the field provides stability for a Diamondbacks team focused on run prevention.<\/p>\n

Smith fills in as the strong-side platoon designated hitter. Adrian Del Castillo is likely to open the year on the IL with a calf injury, so that takes away another DH option against righties.<\/p>\n

Where to play Jordan Lawlar<\/p>\n

Lawlar\u2019s transition to center field this spring has gone mostly well so far. Lovullo said Lawlar will get looks in a corner before spring training is over, but for now, he has stuck in center field, while Thomas had been getting reps in left before the World Baseball Classic.<\/p>\n

Lawlar has hit well this spring with four home runs and six walks in nine games. He\u2019d add a speed-power dynamic to the bottom third of the order if he can translate that success after he finally got something going at the end of last season.<\/p>\n

Whether the Diamondbacks feel comfortable using him as the backup shortstop is another concern considering his focus has been on outfield this spring, but that\u2019s a question for rounding out the roster.<\/p>\n

The Diamondbacks will pick up reinforcements as the season progresses, and Gurriel \u2014 even though he tore his ACL in September \u2014 is way ahead of schedule. It has gotten to the point where playing in a spring training game (backfields or Cactus League) as a DH is on the table.<\/p>\n

Del Castillo continues to ramp up all baseball activity, as well, but he\u00a0hasn\u2019t started running yet.<\/p>\n

The lineup will change against left-handed pitching with Marte presumably hopping up to lead-off, Smith needing a platoon partner and Thomas having to prove he can handle lefties or face splitting reps, perhaps with Jorge Barrosa or Tim Tawa.<\/p>\n

Follow @alexjweiner<\/a><\/p>\n

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