SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Over the last two seasons, Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter have appeared together in a total of 84 out of a potential 324 games.
In those 84 games, the two have never appeared in a contest together with Carter in left field and Langford in center field. Carter didn't play left field at all last season. Langford's first game in center field in 2024 came after May 26, which was Carter's last game of that season due to a back injury.
In Tuesday's Cactus League matchup against the Diamondbacks, that’s exactly how they lined up.
“You got to see them both play center and left, and try to figure out the ways that we can be most successful and stay on the field the longest for both of them,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “We’re just trying to see what it looks like.”
Schumaker doesn’t seem to know just yet how the outfield will be configured. Carter and Langford both have an injury history, though one more substantial than the other. Carter struggles against left-handed pitching, while Langford has more even splits.
All of that is what Spring Training is for. And one thing is for sure, newly acquired veteran outfielder Brandon Nimmo will play right field, where he’s only played 93 games in his big league career compared to 551 in center and 449 in left.
Schumaker said health will be the biggest determining factor for how the coaching staff deploys the two young outfielders. Which is more taxing on the body? Does grass versus turf affect the wear and tear? How much do the opposing pitchers factor into all of this?
“How can I keep these guys on the field for 162? Because we're really good when those guys are on the field,” Schumaker said. “We're trying to figure all of that out and what that looks like for each player to keep them healthy for 162. … I think that's the goal, for the player to show us that he should be an everyday player. I think that's what the fun part of Spring Training is. Especially with Evan, I think it boils down to what gives us the best shot to not only keep him healthy, but to win games.”
On top of the health and production, Schumaker emphasizes the leadership he likes to see out of the center-field position. That’s how he feels about all the positions up the middle. That’s what he wants to see out of the two young guys in center and left.
“All that stuff, I think we're just trying to navigate that while we're here for the next six weeks,” Schumaker said.
If you ask either Carter or Langford, they don’t have a particular preference. Carter is the more natural center fielder and hasn’t played another position in the big leagues since 2024, when Leody Taveras roamed center for the club.
Langford wasn’t even an outfielder until midway through his college career. He just plays where he’s told.
“I don't care,” Langford said. “Whatever is best for us, for me and Evan, and for the team to win, really. I mean, we both obviously can play both positions. It doesn't matter really who's where. It's just whatever's best for, obviously, both of us staying on the field. … Me and Evan are both good enough and fast enough to play both. So it's not like there's a drastic difference for either one of us in those two positions.”