Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back, Ketel Marte out of Diamondbacks lineup vs. Rockies

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. returned to the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies after dealing with a hamstring issue.

Gurriel left Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies with what the team called left hamstring tightness. He sat out Monday and is batting third as the designated hitter against Colorado lefty Austin Gomber.

Second baseman Ketel Marte is out of the lineup Tuesday, as he underwent an MRI at 2:15 p.m. ahead of first pitch at 6:40 p.m. to evaluate his ankle injury.

“We’ll get that information as soon as possible, usually takes several hours,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Hopefully we get it before game time so I’ll know about his availability. He tried to grind it out yesterday. He said he still felt discomfort. He still was going to try and play. That’s where he’s at, he wants help his team win games.”

Marte left Saturday’s game with what the club called a left ankle contusion after Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs made contact with Marte on a dive at second base.

Marte started on Monday but left after the first inning upon falling on a swing. The club said he re-aggravated the injury, and Lovullo described it as above the ankle joint. Marte did not have imaging before Monday.

“We trust the athlete, he knows his body as good as anybody. Medically, everything was signed off … There’s no way in the world I would have ever put him in the game if I felt like something like yesterday was going to happen,” Lovullo told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo.

Lovullo said an injured list stint was a possibility, but he maintained it was highly unlikely based on conversations he held with the medical team.

Geraldo Perdomo returned to the lead-off spot in place of Marte.

Game 121.

🕡 6:40pm
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— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 13, 2024

Christian Walker update

Lovullo said first baseman Christian Walker (oblique strain) began working off the tee and is asymptomatic.

“We’re going to start to initiate a little bit more baseball activity,” Lovullo said.

Walker went on the IL on July 30.

Randal Grichuk hits 10 years

Diamondbacks outfielder Randal Grichuk hit 10 years of MLB service time on his 33rd birthday Tuesday. Ten years is an important mark to hit for major leaguers, not only because less than 10% of players get there, but also fully vested pension benefits.

Grichuk’s locker was decorated with “10” balloons. His teammate, Eugenio Suarez, hit 10 years last month.

Reaching Ten Years of Service Time is an incredible milestone… but doing so on your birthday is next level.

Congratulations, @RGrich15! Celebrate double today. @Dbacks pic.twitter.com/KsOIJQLZV3

— MLBPA (@MLBPA) August 13, 2024

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