CINCINNATI -- Before the series opener against the Reds on Friday at Great American Ball Park, the Diamondbacks officially reinstated outfielder Jordan Lawlar from the 60-day injured list and subsequently designated veteran backup catcher Aramis Garcia for assignment to clear the necessary 26-man and 40-man roster spots.
Lawlar was promptly inserted in the starting lineup in center field and batted seventh against Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo. He made a huge impact in the game – and with the center-field wall – when he robbed Matt McLain of extra bases with a sensational grab for the second out in the bottom of the fourth. Lawlar also singled twice, including a two-run insurance single in the three-run Arizona ninth as the Diamondbacks rallied late for a 5-2 win.
Gabriel Moreno scored the go-ahead run when Geraldo Perdomo’s sinking liner to left was dropped by Blake Dunn with two outs in the ninth.
“He worked his butt off to get back here,” manager Torey Lovullo said before the game. “So, starting him in center field, I know [there’s curiosity] about what the playing time is going to look like. It's going to be very fluid. There's going to be three guys, four guys for two positions, going to be a little bit of a rotation. They're all going to play.”
“It feels great,” Lawlar said before taking the field on Friday. “I’m excited to be back around this group of guys, and just kind of feel the energy and jump right back in.”
Lawlar's return marks the end of a frustrating nine-week absence. The 23-year-old outfielder's campaign was halted during an April 2 game against the Braves. Just hours after launching his first career Major League home run, Lawlar was struck by a 94.3 mph fastball from reliever Osvaldo Bido, resulting in a fractured right wrist.
The injury interrupted an encouraging start where Lawlar had hit .333 over six games and was actively adjusting to a permanent defensive shift from the infield to the outfield.
“Throughout the rehab, not too much,” Lawlar said of thinking about the bad timing. “Initially, yeah, like it's a pretty high high to a pretty low low early on, but you feel it, you be human about it, and then you move on. You see how you can get better in other ways.”
Following a comprehensive rehab assignment split between the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Reno, Lawlar's activation injects critical athletic depth into a scuffling Diamondbacks lineup. Lovullo will now look to integrate Lawlar's speed and dynamic bat back into the everyday mix.