SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- After playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, D-backs first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is expected to report back to camp Friday.
Team USA won its first World Baseball Classic championship by beating Puerto Rico, 8-0, on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
"I talked to Goldy [Wednesday] before the game," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Along with wishing him luck, I wanted to get his game plan. He wants to get home, get his family situated and just get grounded a little bit. He'll be here [Friday] ready to go. My anticipation is he'll play. That's what we spoke about -- but just want to make sure I'll touch base with him in the morning just to confirm all that. We're anxious to get him back, we're excited about it."
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Goldschmidt left D-backs camp after the March 5 game and at the time was 6-for-15 with a home run and six RBIs. He struggled at the plate for Team USA, going 1-for-13, and his playing time shrunk as the tournament went on.
Goldschmidt last appeared in a game last Friday.
Lovullo said he plans on sitting down with Goldschmidt to map out how many at-bats the slugger would like to have before the April 2 opener.
"I know he'll be ready for the season," Lovullo said. "He probably would have had more at-bats had he been here, we all know that. But he was doing something pretty special for his country, and we respect that.
"I know that he was working hard behind the scenes to make sure that he stayed ready, so it's a non-issue for me. I know he wishes he would've played, but he supported his team and they won the championship, and that's what it's all about."