D-backs’ Zack Greinke to miss next scheduled start

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – With Opening Day only eleven days away, the Arizona Diamondbacks are still weighing their options on who will be their starter with the recent set back to ace Zack Greinke.

Manager Torey Lovullo confirmed on Saturday that Greinke will miss his next scheduled start on Monday, March 19th against the Chicago White Sox due to experiencing right groin tightness in his last start after just one inning of work. Lovullo did seem encouraged about Zack’s current progress.

“He’s feeling good,” Lovullo said about Greinke before Saturday’s game against the Padres. “He’s going to throw his bullpen tomorrow. That’s the first target that we’re looking for. He’s on a normal throwing program and everything seems to be functioning just fine.”

When asked about Greinke’s throwing schedule, Lovullo said they do not have a target date set for his return but made it clear they weren’t going to rush him back to start Opening Day.

“Considering that he threw one inning and 19 pitches and then came off the mound feeling the tightness, we think that it will probably be a small little build up in between the next two starts,” he said. “To go from 19 pitches back up to 60 or 70 is probably not feasible, so we’ll probably pick a number. If we get through the bullpen, we’ll pick a good number that’s comfortable for him.”

Lovullo did say Greinke may not be the Opening Day starter but also confirmed that it is still to be determined. He did say he could be ready to pitch in the first series of the regular season against the Colorado Rockies if he doesn’t get the ball to start Opening Day.

Non-roster invitee Ryan Atkinson started on the mound for the D-backs in the Major League game against the Padres on Saturday while Patrick Corbin threw in a Minor League game on the backfield against the Angels.

Last season in the D-backs Minor League system, Atkinson was 9-10 with Single-A Kane County, Single-A Adv. Visalia, and Double-A Jackson with a 3.30 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 26 starts.

Atkinson didn’t allow a hit in three innings of work. He allowed three walks and struck out four in a good outing against the Padres.

Corbin pitched five innings in the Minor League game. He allowed four hits and one earned run with five strikeouts and one walk. He threw 78 pitches.

Meanwhile, Goldschmidt happened in the bottom of the fifth with “America’s First Baseman” hitting a two-run home run, his second of the spring. Chris Owings went 3-for-3 with three singles, a run scored, and a stolen base. The Padres tied it up in the eighth and this one ends knotted up at 3-3. The D-backs are now 12-9-1 this spring.

BASE HITS

– The D-backs made five roster moves on Friday, sending Sócrates Brito, Jack Reinheimer, & Ildemaro Vargas to Triple-A Reno, and Ramón Flores and Jake Buchanan to Minor League camp. Arizona currently has 46 players left in Major League camp.

– Lovullo said before the game that catcher Jeff Mathis was experiencing lower back tightness, so they decided to pull back and rest him at this point before the season starts.

– Taijuan Walker pitched on Friday in a Triple-A game against the Cubs Minor League squad. He went 4.2 innings and allowed three hits, one earned run, and one walk with eight strikeouts.

– Zack Godley will start on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Goodyear Ballpark.

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