D-backs’ Jake Lamb homers as rehab assignment in Reno continues
Jun 17, 2019, 11:46 AM
Jake Lamb #22 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a home run in the first inning during the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on June 25, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks are missing one of their most well-known infielders as Jake Lamb recovers from a quad injury.
The D-backs put Lamb on the injured list with a Grade 2 left quad strain near the start of the season when Lamb hurt himself on April 3. He has since been on the shelf to recover, but the D-backs got their former All-Star on a rehab assignment on June 8.
The Athletic‘s Zach Buchanan cited manager Torey Lovullo as saying it’s “unlikely” Lamb will rejoin the D-backs this next homestand, which spans from Tuesday to next Wednesday, June 26. Lovullo added that he thinks Lamb will be back before the end of June, though.
In getting back Lamb, the D-backs would be adding a left-handed bat that can play corner infield — two positions where Christian Walker and Eduardo Escobar have been getting the everyday playing time. Lovullo has said that upon Lamb’s return, getting everyone time on the field could mean having Escobar play second, Walker stay at first and Lamb play third. That would bump Ketel Marte to center field, where he has spent some time this season, anyway.
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In six games in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno thus far, Lamb has hit .263 with a double and a home run to go with six RBI. Lamb hit his lone home run on Friday before going 1-for-3 with a double on Saturday.
An NL All-Star in 2017, Lamb hit .222 in 2018 and appeared in only 56 games due to a shoulder injury. Before he went down this season, he was hitting .267 (4-for-15). In his six-year big league career, Lamb averages .247 with 24 home runs every 162 games. He is hitting .159 against left-handed pitching in his career and .270 against right-handers.
