Shortstop competition no clearer for D-backs, Owings struggles in first Opening Day start

Mar 22, 2014, 12:59 PM | Updated: 12:59 pm

Arizona Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks technically kicked off their regular season Saturday in Sydney, but the team still has one major competition to settle heading into its home opener against the San Francisco Giants March 31.

Who will be the team’s starting shortstop?

Because Major League Baseball allowed both the D-backs and Los Angeles Dodgers to travel to Australia with a 28-man active roster, manager Kirk Gibson elected to take both shortstop candidates — Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius — with the intention of getting each one start.

Owings got the first crack at making an impression, but his first Opening Day start didn’t quite go according to plan in Arizona’s 3-1 loss.

The reigning Pacific Coast League Player of the Year struck out swinging twice on off-speed pitches from two-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and also grounded out weakly to second baseman Justin Turner.

If there was a positive for Owings it came in his final at-bat of the night when he worked a two-out walk in the ninth inning off of Kenley Jansen.

Gregorius, who is expected to start in the second game of the series against Hyun Jin-Ryu, also had a plate appearance. The 22-year-old pinch hit for Wade Miley in the bottom of the fifth inning and struck out rather quickly on four pitches.

Bob Wardle, left, and his daughter Liz Sargant arrive at the Sydney Cricket Ground where the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks is scheduled in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The teams line up for the national anthems before the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Diamondbacks' Wade Miley throws the first pitch from the opening game of the 2014 Major League Baseball season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

THe Diamondbacks' Marin Prado grounds out to third in the first inning of the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Juan Uribe strikes out in the second inning of the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Yasiel Puig fouls a ball as the Diamondbacks' catcher Miguel Montero reaches out in the first inning of Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' third baseman Juan Uribe, right, throws out Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock, center, during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw throws his first pitch of the Major League Baseball 2014 season during the opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' Scott Van Slyke, right, is congratulated by teammate Adrian Gonzalez after Van Slyke hit a two-run home run in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A high ball goes past the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' Didi Gregorius, right, walks away after he was called out by umpire Tim Welke, left, and the Dodgers' catcher A.J. Ellis exchange balls during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Dodgers' starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, is pulled from the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' outfielder Mark Trumbo can't get to a line drive from the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez during the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Diamondbacks' first baseman Paul Goldschmidt picks up a grounder from the Dodgers' Andre Ethier in the top of the 9th inning in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Kenley Jansen tosses the ball to first for the last out the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The Los Angeles Dodgers' A.J. Ellis, left, Adrian Gonzalez, second left, Kenley Jansen and Juan Uribe, right, celebrate their win in the Major League Baseball opening game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket ground in Sydney, Saturday, March 22, 2014. The Dodgers won the game 3-1. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

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