D-backs put Mathis on disabled list, make three other roster moves

The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed catcher Jeff Mathis on the 10-day disabled list with a fractured right hand and sent reliever Jimmie Sherfy back to Triple-A as part of four roster moves made Tuesday.

“That really caught us all by surprise,” Lovullo said about Mathis as a guest of Burns and Gambo on 98.7 F.M., Arizona’s Sports Station. “Just a tough tough guy and probably one of our leaders as were talking about when someone needed to step up and get emotional and just say ‘hey this is what’s going on and this is what we need to do, people listen to Jeff.”

The Diamondbacks also activated outfielder Rey Fuentes from the 10-day D.L. (thumb) and recalled reliever Jake Barrett from Reno.

“We got some reinforcements and we feel good about that,” Lovullo said about the other moves. “We feel good about the two catchers that remain here with Chris Herrmann and Chris Iannetta. We feel really good about handing the work off to them and we will see where that lands us.”

The first-year skipper said because the starters have not lasted long in recent games, the team needed a fresh arm (Barrett) and said Sherfy would not be available for two days after pitching two games in a row.

In Monday’s game against the New York Mets at Cit Field, Mathis was removed in the bottom of the sixth with a bruised right hand.

In 58 games this season, the 34-year-old Mathis is hitting .213 with two home runs and 11 RBI. Mathis had a 11-game hitting streak from July 7 to Aug. 5 (.341, 14-for-41) and reached base safely in a career-high 17-straight games from June 22 to Aug. 5.

Acquired as a free agent this past offseason, Mathis has been the primary catcher for ace Zack Greinke. In 56 games behind the plate this season, Mathis’ catcher’s ERA is 3.51 and has committed three errors.

Sherfy, 25, was called up from Reno on Aug. 20 before the series finale against the Minnesota Twins Sunday. The Camarillo, Calif. did not allow a run in two relief appearances, against Minnesota and the New York Mets on Aug. 21.

Fuentes, 26, appeared in 41 games for the Diamondbacks this season between May 15 and July 18. In his time with the big league club, the left-handed-hitting center fielder batted .240 with two home runs and six RBI. The Orlando, Fla. native played 33 games in center field, six games in left and one game in right.

Barrett, 26, appeared in 16 games for the Diamondbacks and pitched to a 4.02 ERA between July 7 and Aug. 13. This will be Barrett’s second stint at the major league level this season.