From packed stadiums to backfields, Diamondbacks work back in from World Baseball Classic

SCOTTSDALE — The Arizona Diamondbacks ran out a much more recognizable lineup on Wednesday than they were able to for much of spring training.

Corbin Carroll led off as he works his way back from hand surgery. Alek Thomas got into his second game after returning from the World Baseball Classic.

Geraldo Perdomo, Nolan Arenado and Carlos Santana jumped back into their first Cactus League Games since leaving their WBC squads. Ketel Marte is scheduled to play on Friday.

As manager Torey Lovullo put it, he went from having four infielders to eight in a day.

The Diamondbacks have a week to get all of their returning players on the same page before Opening Day on March 26 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, putting a strong emphasis on the next five days of work at Salt River Fields.

“I’m not gonna lie, I’m minimally concerned,” Lovullo said. “I’m not ready to say that we’re baseball ready to go out and compete. I haven’t seen the group together, really. … They’ll play back-to-back games Friday and Saturday and then again back-to-back games at Chase Field (Monday and Tuesday). So they’re gonna have four games together. I feel like that’ll be plenty of time.”

Perdomo, Marte and Santana were able to stick together with Team Dominican Republic, which was seen as a benefit. Santana was a backup who sparingly played and will take some extra at-bats before the start of the season, but he was able to bond and share advice with his new middle infield tandem.

There’s something to competing in high leverage games that leaves an impression, as Perdomo said every game felt like Game 7 of the World Series.

Even though this is an important week for Diamondbacks players to get reps together, the tournament is an avenue to ramp up physically for the regular season, which players like Arenado and Santana have experienced before. Players are on the field for nine innings during the tournament as opposed to spring training.

This can be an awkward time emotionally for those who participated in the WBC, however, as there is a debrief period from playing emotional games in packed stadiums to going back to spring training.

“It’s like a mixture of it gets you ready for a full season, but also you get kind of sad because it’s over,” Arenado said.

“That energy, it’s hard to match that in early in the season. So, it’s kind of a weird feeling. When we come back to spring training, it’s so mellow and you were just playing such high intensity games. It’s a little bit of adjustment, but you get over it. Physically, I feel like I’m ready to play a full season now, so I love that part.”

D-backs 3B Nolan Arenado said he feels "game ready" after coming back from the World Baseball Classic, where he represented his mother's heritage on Team Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/RX1FFYWZOq

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 19, 2026

“I was very focused on following my routine I had here … so that my body knows when I get back to be ready to play,” Marte said in Spanish. 

Diamondbacks share pride for Eduardo Rodriguez

Rodriguez rose to the moment on Tuesday by pitching 4.1 scoreless innings against a scary U.S. lineup. Venezuela won the game 3-2 after former Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez hit the go-ahead double in the the ninth inning.

Lovullo said he texted them both, along with D-backs and Venezuela coach Rolando Valles, to share his pride in their accomplishment.

“You can see when Geno answers a question the way he did, and when Eduardo was in front of the camera, you could tell he had been crying, you know that these guys wanted it from a level that was extremely deep and extremely passionate, extremely real,” Lovullo said.

“I’m gonna give Eduardo a big hug and tell him great job and let’s turn the page and get ourselves ready for a baseball season. But we are certainly proud of what (he) did.”

2026 WBC Champion Eduardo Rodriguez caught up with our Tom Verducci after his scoreless outing in 4.1 IP vs the US 👏🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/VN0VUR0bJJ

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 18, 2026

Rodriguez was en route to Arizona on Wednesday, ready to rejoin his club on Thursday. He likely needs one more start before the regular season begins.

Merrill Kelly, who started on Wednesday, has a shared experience with Rodriguez. He started the WBC title game in 2023 for the United States, a 3-2 loss to Japan.

“Obviously I didn’t come out on the winning end of it,” Kelly said. “I can only imagine, especially for Venezuela, just everything that’s going on for their country right now. … I’m happy for him, happy he was able to pitch well. Obviously I would have liked USA to come out on top, but I’m happy for them.”

Perdomo claimed he texted Rodriguez before the game and told him he better throw four or five innings.

“I was happy for him,” Perdomo said. “That’s why they paid him $20 million here, to show what he can do.”

The challenge for Rodriguez is to take the success from his last start and find ways to replicate it throughout the season ahead.

Diamondbacks pitching plan

Kelly threw 36 pitches on Wednesday and said the plan is to start again on Monday at Chase Field against the Cleveland Guardians.

Kelly said he’s “pretty sure” he is starting the season on the injured list as he builds up after a nerve irritation in his back cost him much of Cactus League.

“I think, as of now, I’m slotted to throw a game here that Saturday that the team’s in L.A. opening weekend,” Kelly said. “And then I’ll probably have to make, hopefully only one actual rehab start before I come back.”

Michael Soroka will start on Thursday at the Chicago White Sox after he pitched for Canada in the WBC.

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