D-backs start 1B Christian Walker vs. Dodgers; Murphy to catch Greinke
Mar 28, 2019, 9:41 AM | Updated: 11:37 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker races to third base on his triple against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning of a spring training baseball game Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
First baseman Christian Walker will start and bat fifth for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day against the Los Angeles Dodgers and lefty pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Converted third baseman Jake Lamb was also expected to earn an opportunity at replacing the traded Paul Goldschmidt this season, but he has struggled against lefty pitchers, batting .170 against them last season.
In order, Walker will bat behind Adam Jones, Eduardo Escobar, Wilmer Flores and David Peralta atop the Diamondbacks’ order.
The Thursday lineup for the D-backs’ 2019 debut also went some way in answering how the team will deploy its three catchers. John Ryan Murphy will catch for ace Zack Greinke.
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Greinke entered spring training having pitched almost exclusively to catcher Jeff Mathis in each of the past two seasons, but once the veteran Mathis signed with the Texas Rangers, a new battery-mate was required.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo spent the spring allowing Greinke to throw to a number of catchers. Early on, Greinke suggested he would be open to throwing to more than one catcher, and the D-backs ultimately decided to enter 2019 with three on the 25-man roster.
It is not known if Murphy plans to be Greinke’s catcher all year long.
The 27-year-old Murphy was out of options this offseason. With Carson Kelly and Alex Avila the other players setting up behind the plate, it was unclear from the outside if he had a future with the Diamondbacks. Working well with the team’s ace, of course, made that future more clear.
Among the other notable changes, it’s converted infielder Ketel Marte who will make the start in center field, sliding veteran addition Adam Jones to right field after Steven Souza Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury on Monday.
Arizona’s 1:10 p.m. Opening Day game will be broadcast on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. Here’s how the rest of the lineup looks on Thursday.
D-backs lineup
1. RF Adam Jones
2. 3B Eduardo Escobar
3. 2B Wilmer Flores
4. LF David Peralta
5. 1B Christian Walker
6. CF Ketel Marte
7. SS Nick Ahmed
8. C John Ryan Murphy
9. P Zack Greinke
Dodgers lineup
1. LF Joc Pederson
2. SS Corey Seager
3. 3B Justin Turner
4. 1B Max Muncy
5. CF A.J. Pollock
6. RF Cody Bellinger
7. 2B Enrique Hernández
8. C Austin Barnes
9. P Hyun-Jin Ryu
