ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NEWS

Jose Herrera - Buried on depth chart Herrera remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.

Impact Daulton Varsho has been picking up more playing time in the outfield of late, but Carson Kelly's recent return from the 10-day injured list means that Herrera is still stuck in the No. 2 or 3 role at catcher. Herrera will be on the bench Tuesday for the third straight game.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Geraldo Perdomo - Locked in at shortstop Perdomo is expected to remain the starting shortstop for the immediate future after the Diamondbacks announced Nick Ahmed will undergo surgery on his shoulder, Nick Piecoro of the...

Impact There's hope Ahmed could play again in 2022, so at the very least, the "immediate future" for Perdomo is most of the rest of the season. He's been the regular shortstop since Ahmed last played in a game May 15.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Pavin Smith - Makes way for Varsho Smith will see his plate appearances cut back after Arizona manager Torey Lovullo announced that Daulton Varsho will become the team's primary right fielder, as reported by Steve G...

Impact Lovullo's decision to go with Alek Thomas in center field and Varsho in right puts a damper on Smith's at-bats. He was already being crowded by Jake McCarthy's roster presence and will be part of the mix at designated hitter and fill in at first base for Christian Walker. Smith, who has five hits over his last 51 at-bats (.098), is slashing .200/.286/.362 with eight home runs and 26 RBI over 210 plate appearances.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Daulton Varsho - Shifts to RF Varsho will shift to right field while Alek Thomas remains in center field, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. Varsho went 1-for-4 and batted fifth in Monday's 5-4 loss to the Reds.

Impact Varsho started the season in center field, and had served as a catcher, the position he played in the minor leagues, while Carson Kelly (oblique) was on the injured list. It was during Kelly's absence that the Diamondbacks brought up Thomas, who has shown he deserves to stay in the majors. When Kelly was activated over the weekend, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo considered how best to accommodate both Varsho and Thomas. After using Varsho, who exhibited more-than-capable defense in the outfield, as the DH in two weekend games, the manager decided to shift Varsho to right field. This decision affects Pavin Smith and Jake McCarthy, who had been sharing right field.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Reds face the Diamondbacks leading series 1-0

The Cincinnati Reds bring a 1-0 advantage into the next game of the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks

JUNE 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alek Thomas - Notches two hits, steals base Thomas went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base Monday in a loss to Cincinnati.

Impact Thomas was one of only two Arizona players with multiple hits in the contest, and he scored the team's final run in the fourth inning. The rookie made another start in center field with Daulton Varsho -- who has played the position for much of the season -- moving over to right. That arrangement suggests that Arizona will be able to have both players in the lineup on a near-everyday basis despite the recent return of Carson Kelly, whose work behind the plate will cut into Varsho's playing time there.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Christian Walker - Launches 16th homer Walker went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two walks in Monday's loss to the Reds.

Impact Walker produced the game's first runs with a big 446-foot blast to left field in the third inning. The homer was his 16th of the campaign, tied for second in the National League. Walker is batting only .209 on the season, but the power has made him a viable fantasy option.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Merrill Kelly - Yields five runs in loss Kelly (5-4) took the loss against Cincinnati on Monday, pitching six innings and allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Impact There were some positives to Kelly's performance -- he racked up 14 swinging strikes, struck out seven and completed six innings for the second straight game -- but he was unable to take advantage of an early 4-1 lead. After holding the Reds to one run through four frames, the right-hander gave up three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to fall behind. Overall, Kelly yielded more than three runs for the first time in five starts and for just the second time through 13 outings this season. His 3.68 ERA is respectable, though it comes with a less-promising 1.35 WHIP.

JUNE 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks-Cincinnati Reds series Images from the Arizona Diamondbacks' series against the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field from June 13-15, 2022.

JUNE 14, 2022 • AZCENTRAL.COM

Drury, Moustakas rally Reds over D-backs 5-4

Brandon Drury hit a tying three-run homer in the fifth inning, Mike Moustakas added a go-ahead single in the sixth and the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4...

JUNE 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed headed for shoulder surgery Pregame notes from the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds game at Chase Field on June 13, 2022.

JUNE 14, 2022 • AZCENTRAL.COM

Nick Ahmed - Requires surgery Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Ahmed will undergo surgery on his right shoulder, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports.

Impact Ahmed missed the start of the season with a shoulder issue and was only able to return for 17 games before heading back to the injured list. His issue evidently won't go away without surgery, and the Diamondbacks are merely hopeful that he'll be able to return this season. Expect Geraldo Perdomo to handle shortstop for most of the rest of the year and potentially the entire campaign.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Alek Thomas' HR-robbing catch wins Play of the Week Rookie outfielder Alek Thomas of the Arizona Diamondbacks earned his first career Electric Play of the Week Award on Monday, and he's Ariz...

JUNE 13, 2022 • MLB.COM

Jake McCarthy - Losing out on playing time McCarthy remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

Impact McCarthy had a semi-regular spot in the Arizona lineup to close out May, but he now finds himself on the bench for the eighth time in 12 games to begin June. Playing time is likely to be even harder to come by for McCarthy moving forward with Daulton Varsho expected to factor into the outfield and designated-hitter mix more frequently now that catcher Carson Kelly has returned from the 10-day injured list.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jordan Luplow - Leading off versus lefty Luplow will start in left field and bat leadoff in Monday's game against the Reds.

Impact Luplow will make his second straight start out of the leadoff spot against a southpaw pitcher (Mike Minor) after he went 0-for-2 with three walks while scoring three times against the Phillies and southpaw Ranger Suarez in Sunday's 13-1 win. He'll be filling in for David Peralta in left field, but Luplow still looks to be stuck in a short-side platoon role.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Pavin Smith - Takes seat Monday Smith isn't starting Monday's game against the Reds.

Impact Smith will get a breather after he went 0-for-7 with a walk and a strikeout over the last two games. Daulton Varsho is starting in right field while Jake McCarthy serves as the designated hitter.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

David Peralta - Not starting Monday Peralta isn't in the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.

Impact Peralta went 3-for-13 with a double, an RBI and five strikeouts over his last three games but will be out of the lineup for a second straight matchup. Jordan Luplow is starting in left field and leading off.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Diamondbacks' Christian Walker sticks with approach, hopes the hits keep on coming The Diamondbacks' Christian Walker has always been more of hitter than slugger. It’s been the opposite this year, but Walker won't change a...

JUNE 13, 2022 • AZCENTRAL.COM

Buyers or sellers at MLB trade deadline? 7 teams that have to prepare for both What will the D-Backs, Red Sox, Guardians, Rockies, Marlins, Phillies and Mariners do at the deadline? An early look at buy/sell scenarios.

JUNE 13, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Noé Ramirez - Earns high-leverage hold Ramirez struck out three over 1.1 scoreless innings to earn his 10th hold in Sunday's 13-1 win over the Phillies.

Impact Arizona manager Torey Lovullo planned to use Ramirez during a bullpen day, but his entrance coincided with the highest-leverage spot of the game. The Diamondbacks were ahead 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Philadelphia loaded the bases against Caleb Smith. In came Ramirez, who struck out Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto to squelch the threat. It's been a rocky June for Ramirez, who gave up eight runs, 10 hits and three home runs over his previous four appearances, but the unflappable right-hander looked very much like the trusted reliever that posted a 2.76 ERA over 36 appearances out of Arizona's bullpen in 2021.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Daulton Varsho - Serves as DH again Varsho started as the designated hitter and went 1-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 13-1 win over the Phillies.

Impact Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo is still figuring out how to align his lineup after catcher Carson Kelly was activated off the IL on Saturday. While Kelly was out, Varsho could start at catcher while prospect Alek Thomas manned center field, which was Varsho's spot to start the season. Now, with both young hitters in need of consistent at-bats in a crowded outfield, Lovullo placed Varsho at DH and Thomas in center in the two games since Kelly's been back. The DH spot helps, but Lovullo needs to find chances for six outfielders.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Carson Kelly - Makes first start off IL Kelly started at catcher and went 0-for-3 with two walks and an RBI in Sunday's 13-1 win over Philadelphia.

Impact This was Kelly's first start since being activated off the injured list, where he spent five weeks with an oblique injury. He guided seven pitchers on a bullpen day, so that part of his game is back, but Kelly's bat remains in a slumber. He's batting .098 over 22 games.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Diamondbacks start 3-game series against the Reds

The Arizona Diamondbacks begin a three-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday

JUNE 13, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kyle Nelson - Successful as opener Nelson issued a walk in a scoreless inning as the opener in Sunday's win over the Phillies.

Impact Nelson got through a scoreless inning of work despite throwing just seven of 15 pitches for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a 19:3 K:BB through 18.2 innings this season. However, Sunday's outing snapped the 25-year-old's streak of 15 consecutive contests without issuing a walk.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Luke Weaver - Earns win in return Weaver (1-0) allowed one run on three hits and two walks over three innings Sunday, striking out four and picking up a win over the Phillies.

Impact Making his first MLB appearance since April 7, Weaver threw 36 of 62 pitches for strikes and he forced eight whiffs. He took the mound in the second inning after Kyle Nelson tossed a scoreless frame as the opener. The only damage against Weaver came in the fourth inning on Alec Bohm's RBI single. The 28-year-old is expected to start next week at home against the Twins.

JUNE 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE