Dbacks Notes from SRF

The Diamondbacks optioned Elbis to Double-A Amarillo on Friday.

The 22-year-old was in big-league camp after being added to the 40-man roster in November, but he was never a likely bet to actually make the Opening Day roster. Elbis had a 2.69 ERA in 16 starts at High-A Hillsboro last year before being promoted to Amarillo, where he had a 4.57 ERA across 45.1 innings.

Carroll (back) is starting in right field and batting leadoff in Friday’s Cactus League game against the Angels, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Carroll has been sidelined the past few days due to back tightness but is ready to return to spring games Friday. He’s gone 6-for-15 with three homers and two stolen bases through five Cactus League games.

Marte batted leadoff and went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Thursday’s spring game against Seattle.

While Marte and Corbin Carroll (back) split leadoff duties in 2024, Marte has batted first in all nine of his Cactus League games so far this spring, including the times when both he and Carroll have played. Marte was the leadoff hitter for 58 games in 2024 and slashed .314/.384/.572 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI in those contests.

Kelly allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 2.1 innings while striking out three in Thursday’s split-squad start against the Mariners.

Kelly threw 48 pitches (30 strikes) in his second Cactus League outing. The right-hander allowed multiple baserunners in each of his first two innings and experienced a slight drop in velocity relative to his first spring outing, but his rotation spot isn’t in jeopardy and Kelly’s focus at this stage of the spring is on getting stretched out.

Pfaadt elevated his pitch count to 46, even if the results weren’t pretty. The right-hander’s outing was the first in a line of starters battling for the Diamondbacks‘ final rotation spot — Ryne Nelson will pitch Thursday, and Jordan Montgomery (finger) is scheduled for his spring debut Friday. If Pfaadt had a lock on a rotation spot, then Wednesday’s performance could be chalked up to a pitcher just getting his work in, but instead his numbers will get measured against his competition.