D-backs reinstate OF Jordan Luplow from IL, DFA LHP Oliver Perez
Apr 25, 2022, 3:51 PM | Updated: 4:42 pm
(Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks reinstated outfielder Jordan Luplow from the 10-day injured list among four roster moves announced Monday afternoon.
Arizona also recalled left-handed pitcher Tyler Gilbert, designated reliver Oliver Perez for assignment and optioned outfielder Jake McCarthy to Triple-A Reno.
The D-backs acquired Luplow in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for infielder Ronny Simon in November. Luplow played six spring training games with his new team before suffering an oblique strain which held him out of the first 16 games of the regular season.
Luplow will add outfield depth to a group with David Peralta, Daulton Varsho and Pavin Smith. The 28-year-old had a .780 OPS in 61 games played last season between Tampa Bay and Cleveland.
“It was a tough bit of news to get toward the tail end of spring training when he went out,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said pregame. “And we’re just happy to have his return. He’s a quality, experienced at-bat. He’s going to play right and center. I’m really anxious to get him in there and allow him to go out and perform.”
Gilbert returns to the big leagues for the second time this year after starting the later game of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals last Tuesday. The lefty tossed 5.2 frames and allowed one earned run on three hits in his season debut.
Starting pitcher Humberto Castellanos is on the Paternity List, and Gilbert adds another arm to the arsenal who can start games. He started six contests last year and threw a no-hitter.
Perez’s second career stint with the D-backs ends after the 40-year-old surrendered seven runs in four innings pitched this season.
“That’s a tough day. It’s a tough day when you have somebody that’s given as much as he has to this game — 20 years pitching at the highest level possible,” Lovullo said. “And it’s not easy for us to call him in and say, ‘We’re going to let you go and we’re going to move on.’ But that’s where we’re at. That’s what we feel like we have in our young players and we want to give them an opportunity to come in and execute, learn and grow and collect the outs.
“So he was understanding. He knows. He’s been around long enough. I just expressed to him that I was glad I finally got a chance to meet him and be in the same clubhouse as him because I’ve heard so many great things about him. And he didn’t let me down in any area, but just where we’re at right now.”
McCarthy started off the year cold at the plate with three hits in 24 at-bats.
The 24-year-old is a valuable defensive outfielder with speed and the ability to play multiple positions, but Luplow’s return squeezed him off the major-league squad for the time being.
“Jake was doing a great job,” Lovullo said. “And a lot of different, a lot of tough and awkward circumstances. His starts mostly we’re coming against left-handed pitchers. He handles at-bats very, very well. He was playing quality defense and we just felt like the best thing for him at this point in time with limited at-bats here at the big league level is to go down and keep developing in AAA.”
The D-backs are back in action Monday evening against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. and you can tune in on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.