Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno suffers strained groin vs. Guardians
Aug 5, 2024, 4:36 PM | Updated: 8:12 pm
Gabriel Moreno #14 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gestures after hitting a two-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on June 21, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting catcher Gabriel Moreno hobbled off the field after beating out an infield single Monday at the Cleveland Guardians.
Moreno stayed down after crossing first base, taking off his helmet and receiving attention from training staff before heading for the tunnel.
The Diamondbacks announced Moreno suffered a strained left groin.
Backup Jose Herrera entered the game in Moreno’s stead.
What was supposed to be a stretch of the season in which the D-backs got healthy has turned on its head. Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is set to make his team debut on Tuesday, the same night Merrill Kelly will make a rehab appearance for High-A Hillsboro. Yet, first baseman Christian Walker went down with an oblique strain that landed him on the injured list on Tuesday, and now Moreno faces an uncertain near future.
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Moreno had a minimum 10-day IL stint for a thumb sprain in late June, and since his return on July 2, he has been on fire. Moreno entered Monday with a .317/.400/.427 slash line since the start of July.
Then he homered in the first inning against Cleveland’s Logan Allen, going back-to-back with Ketel Marte.
His defensive value for Arizona cannot be overstated from framing to working with pitchers and of course throwing out runners. Moreno led all of baseball with a 39% caught stealing rate last year when MLB expanded the bases and limited pickoffs. Moreno has thrown out 31% of base stealers this year, well above the league average of 22%.
Herrera is a trusted backup to handle the pitching staff without the offensive juice Moreno possesses (.646 OPS).
If Moreno misses time, the D-backs could give a look to 24-year-old prospect Adrian Del Castillo, who is in Triple-A Reno.
Del Castillo has a .319/.403/.608 batting line with 24 homers and a Pacific Coast League-leading 36 doubles. The 24-year-old prospect bats from the left side but has had pretty even splits this year. His defense was a work-in-progress coming in, but the organization has been encouraged by his strides receiving and throwing out runners.
