Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker day-to-day with elbow contusion
Sep 2, 2023, 7:11 PM | Updated: 8:55 pm
Christian Walker #53 of the Arizona Diamondbacks flips a baseball before the start of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Chase Field on July 28, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks removed first baseman Christian Walker from Saturday’s ballgame against the Baltimore Orioles at Chase Field with a right elbow contusion, manager Torey Lovullo said.
Walker was plunked in his exposed right elbow on a 96 mph sinker by Orioles starter Kyle Bradish in the third inning. Walker tossed his bat down and shook out his hand before bending over and grabbing his elbow.
He took his base and stayed in the game for an inning, but the D-backs replaced him with Pavin Smith defensively in the fifth.
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Lovullo said Walker will be day-to-day and did not rule out his inclusion in the lineup on Sunday. His X-rays came back negative.
The team announced during the game that Walker suffered right hand discomfort. Walker said the pitch his him in a funny spot which caused nerve pain up through his fingers.
“Okay, overall, X-rays negative which is great,” Walker said. “Just a ton of nerve pain hit me in an unfortunate spot, ton of finger numbness and shooting pains just trying to use my fingers, but I think it’s all just nerve related. Like I said, just a funny spot but all things considered, I should be fine.”
Lovullo said the team will see how he feels Sunday morning. Arizona and Baltimore have a 1:10 p.m. first pitch.
“I think he just got a nerve clipped a little bit. You feel that. For everybody who has played the game and gotten hit on the elbow, you know what that feels like,” Lovullo said.
Arizona fell to the Orioles 7-3 on Saturday.
Walker has played in 132 of 136 games this season, more than anyone else on the D-backs. The veteran has been on fire lately, with a 1.018 OPS and six home runs over his previous 19 games entering Saturday.
He homered in Friday’s 4-2 victory over the Orioles. He is one home run and 11 RBIs shy of his first career 30-100 season.
Walker and Smith are Arizona’s two first basemen on the active roster, although Emmanuel Rivera, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jace Peterson have played at least an inning over there this year.
