D-backs OF Corbin Carroll’s roller coaster day ends with All-Star nod

PHOENIX — It was a wild ride of emotions for Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll on Thursday.

Carroll’s afternoon began with a ballgame, included an injury scare and ended with a 2023 MLB All-Star Game starting nod in his hometown.

Talk about a roller coaster of a day.

“At the end of the day, it’s a great reminder to not take a day of this game for granted,” Carroll said. “Every day out there is a great one and that’s probably the biggest thing there.”

That’s not to say it wasn’t an intense couple of hours for both the outfielder and team.

In what started as a day chock full of positivity surrounding the potential of Carroll locking down an All-Star bid, quickly turned into one filled with anxiousness following the outfielder’s removal due to right shoulder soreness in the fifth inning of a 6-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

After Carroll was seen stretching out his neck and shoulder area following an at-bat in the third inning before testing things out defensively in the fourth, skipper Torey Lovullo decided he had seen enough by the start of the fifth.

Given it was the same shoulder Carroll had surgery on in 2021, caution was key for Lovullo and Co. when it came to the outfielder.

Luckily for all parties involved, it appears they avoided anything serious as no further testing is necessary and the concern level from the organization is minimal, though there may still be a roster move made.

“Moving forward he will be day to day,” the skipper said. “That’s something we do well here. We ask our athletes to speak up when they are not well, when something is not right. There is a trust that’s developed, a bond that’s developed.”

Corbin Carroll is day-to-day with right shoulder soreness, per #Dbacks skipper Torey Lovullo.

The manager added that no other testing is necessary and the concern level is minimal.

🎥: @Tdrake4sports pic.twitter.com/RfmkadwLf5

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) June 29, 2023

That’s not to say, however, that the injury didn’t have an impact on Carroll’s psyche given he had experienced a much worse outcome just two years prior.

“Really weird feeling in my shoulder that I hadn’t felt before since the injury had happened (in 2021),” Carroll said postgame. “It shook me up pretty good. I was pretty concerned and wanted to make sure that the stability was all there.

#Dbacks OF Corbin Carroll said he was shaken up a little with his shoulder soreness given his injury in 2021.

Luckily, he was given the green light and said a weight was lifted off his shoulders. pic.twitter.com/whVyehZPIY

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) June 29, 2023

“They checked it out, I got the green light there, which was a huge weight off my shoulders. Now it’s just move forward and progress and take it day to day.”

And if there were any lingering feelings of concern or worry, they were almost certainly dashed once news of Carroll’s All-Star nod came across the TV screen in the clubhouse.

In what seemed like a scene out of “The Godfather,” a stoic Carroll sat back in his seat and took it all in as the TV read: “Corbin Carroll, All-Star.” He was quickly flooded by a receiving line of congratulations and well wishes from players and coaches alike.

Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll is officially an MLB All-Star!

A stoic Carroll was congratulated by his coaches and teammates following the news that he’s punched his ASG ticket to Seattle.

🎥: @Tdrake4sports pic.twitter.com/6XLFYog5fX

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) June 29, 2023

It’s definitely a moment Carroll has dreamt of since he was a kid and one he will never forget.

Heading back to his old stomping grounds makes it all that much sweeter.

“It’s really cool. One of my goals was to be at this game,” Carroll said. “To be starting it is just that much of a cherry on top. A lot of hard work from a lot of people within this organization, supportive friends and family.

“It’s just a compliment to the work that I put in up to this point. Not just me, a lot of other people, coaches, teammates. I’ve had an amazing support group this year and just on a personal level, I’m super excited.”

As for his thoughts on participating in the Home Run Derby?

“No thank you.”

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