SnakeBytes 4/29: Geno and Lawlar Earn Weekly Honors (Again)

More accolades for our current and future(?) third baseman, plus McGough survives the Ginkel return.

Diamondbacks News

Diamondbacks option Drey Jameson with Kevin Ginkel looming by Damon Allred [Arizona Sports]

[Jameson’s] departure comes as reliever Kevin Ginkel has shared photos from New York on Instagram, indicating his season debut could be coming after starting on the injured list with a shoulder injury.

Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is Swinging and Slinging through 2025 by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

Brandon Pfaadt Emerging as Key Stabilizer in Diamondbacks’ Rotation by Michael McDermott [SI]

Pfaadt’s emergence as a dependable workhorse has come at a time when there are still some rotation questions for the Diamondbacks. Zac Gallen has struggled and Corbin Burnes hasn’t quite found his dominant form just yet. Arizona has gotten solid outings from the bottom half of their rotation to keep them afloat at 15-13.

Arizona Diamondbacks walking a tightrope with this pitcher’s role by Nick Piecoro [AZ Central]

Assistant general manager Mike Fitzgerald pointed to another issue: the struggles of some of the club’s middle relievers. Their shaky outings have sometimes forced the Diamondbacks to change their plans regarding Nelson’s usage and availability.

“I think we’re definitely trying to thread a needle here around variables that we don’t have a ton of control over,” Fitzgerald said. “I think our short-term hope is that the bridge relievers can do a better job of allowing us to make Nelly’s role a bit more regimented, which should allow him to have success more consistently.”

Eugenio Suarez Joins the Four-Homer Club, Albeit in Defeat by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs] {Ed. Note: Lots of good data in here, as usual, from Jay Jaffe.}

Suárez’s average exit velocity and barrel rate both rank in the 93rd percentile, up from the 51st and 78th percentiles last year, respectively. His hard-hit rate ranks in the 95th percentile, up from the 63rd last year. For as early as it is in the season, we can start taking at least some of these numbers seriously. According to Baseball Prospectus’ Russell Carlton, exit velocity stabilizes at the 40 batted-ball-event mark and barrel rate at the 50 BBE mark (hard-hit rate not until 80 BBE), so what Suárez is doing not just a fluke.

Trip to record books earns Suarez weekly honor [Dbacks.com]

Diamondbacks Notes: Lawlar, Marte, Infield by Darragh MacDonald [MLB Trade Rumors]

Coming into 2025, it was still fair to expect that Suárez would eventually give way to Lawlar. Suárez turns 34 in July and will be a free agent at season’s end. That could still be the plan but the fact that Lawlar is playing a lot of second base is interesting. Marte has had some injury absences in his career and is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain. He is 31 years old and the club recently extended him through 2031, which would be his age-37 season. Perhaps they believe that moving him to first base would be the best thing for his long-term health.

Lawlar, Groover represent D-backs on Prospect Team of the Week [MLB]

Around the League

Lin-Manuel Miranda working to bring Molina brothers to silver screen by Brian Murphy [MLB]

FanGraphs Power Rankings: April 21-27 by Jake Mailhot [FanGraphs] {Ed. Note: The Diamondbacks fell to 11th in this batch of power rankings.}

Manfred to rule on Rose ban after Trump meeting [ESPN]

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said he discussed Pete Rose with President Donald Trump at a meeting two weeks ago, and he plans to rule on a request to end the sport’s permanent ban of the career hits leader, who died in September.

Speaking Monday at a meeting of the Associated Press Sports Editors, Manfred said he and Trump discussed several issues, including concerns over how immigration policies could impact players from Cuba, Venezuela and other foreign countries.

Question of the Day

This past week, I was back in Arizona visiting family and was able to catch a D-backs game. The game I attended was Geno’s 4-HR masterpiece, otherwise known as our fourth straight loss and third in that span of the extra inning variety. That night, during the drive home, I found myself thinking more about the Diamondbacks’ missed opportunities that night than the genuinely historic performance by Geno.

The next day, during my drive home, I listened to the radio as the Corbin Carroll and Brandon Pfaadt led the Diamondbacks to an exciting win. My question to you all is one that I was asking myself during that drive.