ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Luke Weaver throws 2 scoreless innings in D-backs’ first win of spring
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Luke Weaver throws a pitch against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning of a spring training baseball game Wednesday, March 3, 2021, in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Luke Weaver threw two scoreless innings in a 9-4 spring training win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.
Weaver allowed two hits and issued no walks on the day.
“I felt really good,” he said. “Ball was coming out nicely, was able to beat some bats, execute all four of my pitches and throw ’em with confidence.”
Arizona scored the first four runs of the game.
First baseman Christian Walker homered in the first to score two, Stuart Fairchild singled in the second to bring home another run and a throwing error by Cleveland in the third saw Josh VanMeter cross home.
Taylor Widener relieved Weaver and gave up two earned runs in 1.2 innings. Corbin Martin had the other two earned runs on his record in two innings.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo was happy to have Martin on the mound for the first time as a D-back.
Martin was acquired as a part of the Zack Greinke deal and underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2019. Wednesday was Martin’s first time throwing in a game since having the surgery.
“It was really nice to see Corbin Martin throw,” Lovullo said. “I’ve seen him working extremely hard … he’s had a long road, been a long runaway. But he came out, did a great job.”
Infielder Domingo Leyba got his first start of the spring at shortstop. He had two hits, including a homer, and scored twice.
After being one of the D-backs’ higher-rated prospects, Leyba got mostly some pinch-hitting looks in his first major league appearances in 2019. Last March, he was suspended 80 games for a positive PED test.
Lovullo said postgame that he believes Leyba would have gotten some at-bats last season had he not been removed from the 40-man roster for his suspension. Lovullo credited the 25-year-old for apologizing to him both last spring and this year.
Leyba is no longer on the 40-man roster, and as The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan notes, it’s an uphill climb for Leyba to make the roster.
Leyba is theoretically in the mix for a big-league job, but he’s off the 40-man roster now. Josh Rojas, Josh VanMeter, Wyatt Mathisen and Andrew Young probably are ahead of him for that reason, although none switch-hit like Leyba.
— Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan) March 3, 2021
