D-backs 3B Jake Lamb has fraying in rotator cuff, surgery an option

After the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 6-0 win over the Texas Rangers Tuesday night, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo had some bad news regarding third baseman Jake Lamb.

Lamb has fraying in the rotator cuff of his left shoulder, which leaves Lamb and the D-backs with two different approaches to consider. Surgery would end Lamb’s season, but rehab would mean a chance for Lamb to return this season. Lovullo said the team will determine the next steps over the next 48 hours, but the decision will be Lamb’s.

“We haven’t formally gotten together as a group to initiate the plan but we will here in the next couple of days,” Lovullo said.

The 27-year-old declined to speak to the media after the game Tuesday.

Lamb received a second evaluation on the left shoulder he injured on Thursday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, the same left shoulder that Lamb suffered a sprained AC joint in earlier in the season that forced him to miss over a month of action. The fraying was not present in Lamb’s earlier injury.

An All-Star last season, Lamb has had a down year, hitting just .222 with six home runs and 31 RBI. In the last two seasons, Lamb hit a combined 59 home runs and drove in 196 runs. His .655 OPS would be a nearly 200-point drop-off from his .840 and .844 numbers the past two years.

The D-backs’ options at the position increased on Friday when they acquired infielder Eduardo Escobar from the Minnesota Twins. Since arriving on Saturday, Escobar has started three of the last four games, all at third base. In the game Escobar sat out, Chris Owings played third base.

“That was a huge acquisition,” Lovullo said of the move. “We weren’t sure where Jake was at that time. He was still being diagnosed. All the way up until today we felt like he was being diagnosed. Once again our front office aced it for me.”

Daniel Descalso and Deven Marrero (out since late June) have also made starts at third.

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