Dbacks News and Notes

Triple-A Reno placed Tawa on its 7-day injured list Aug. 2 due to an unspecified injury.

After being demoted to Reno on July 5, Tawa went just 3-for-31 (.097 average) with 11 strikeouts in nine games before landing on the IL. The utility player is without a timeline to return to action for Reno, and his poor production prior to getting hurt suggests he won’t be a high-priority call-up for Arizona when the roster expands in September.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that Vargas (foot) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Reno, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Vargas will likely remain on assignment with Reno through the weekend before potentially returning from the 10-day injured list Aug. 18 for the start of Arizona’s six-game homestand. Arizona may give Vargas to exposure to multiple infield spots during his time in the minors, but the 34-year-old could end up seeing most of his opportunities at third base once he’s reinstated. Since Vargas landed on the IL on June 25 due to a fractured fifth metatarsal on his left foot, the Diamondbacks traded away Eugenio Suarez, which has opened the door for Blaze Alexander to see the bulk of the starts at the hot corner.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Sunday that Moreno (finger) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Reno, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Moreno is eligible to return from the 60-day injured list Aug. 18, and he looks like he”ll have a shot to be activated on that date if all goes smoothly on his rehab assignment. The catcher was hitting .270 but provided just five home runs, one stolen base, 29 runs and 20 RBI through 53 games before he landed on the IL on June 19 due to a right hand hairline fracture.

Del Castillo went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run, a double and a second run scored in Sunday’s 13-6 win over the Rockies.

Del Castillo set the early tone with his first-inning homer. He finished with his second three-hit game of the season, and it was his first multi-hit effort since July 19 versus the Cardinals. He’s slipped into a part-time role in August due to his struggles at the plate. He typically only plays against right-handed pitchers, but he has been in the lineup against just three of the last five righties Arizona has faced. Del Castillo is batting .255 with a .648 OPS, seven RBI, four runs scored, three doubles and no stolen bases over 49 plate appearances.

Pfaadt (12-7) allowed three runs on 11 hits and struck out two without walking a batter over five innings to earn the win over the Rockies on Sunday.

Pfaadt wasn’t great, but he was able to keep the ball in the yard and didn’t elevate his pitch count with walks. This is his second win in a row, and he’s allowed three runs or less in four of his five starts since the All-Star break. The 26-year-old is still too often middling in his performance, as evidenced by his 5.03 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, though his 104:28 K:BB through 127 innings is fine. Pfaadt is tentatively projected to get a rematch with the Rockies for his next start, though that game is in Colorado, which makes him a risky option in fantasy.

Moreno (finger) has recently resumed participating in simulated games at the Diamondbacks‘ spring training facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.

Moreno has been on the shelf since the middle of June and will likely require a rehab assignment before being activated from the 60-day injured list. He’s eligible to rejoin the Diamondbacks on Aug. 18, but it’s not clear yet if he’ll be a realistic option to return on that date.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said that Smith (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno on Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

Smith had been taking live at-bats in simulated games at the organization’s training facility in Arizona and is now ready to test himself in an uncontrolled game setting. According to Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com, Lovullo said that he’s hopeful Smith will be ready to return from the 10-day injured list during the Diamondbacks‘ next homestand, which begins Aug. 18. Once he’s activated, Smith should reclaim a near-everyday role at either first base or designated hitter after he posted an .817 OPS in 264 plate appearances prior to landing on the shelf July 6 due to a right oblique strain.

Perdomo went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and two runs scored in Saturday’s 6-5 win over the Rockies.

Perdomo has hit safely in eight of his last nine games and has a trio of three-hit efforts in that span. The shortstop’s steady hitting has helped him maintain a starting role for the vast majority of the season. He’s up to a .283/.383/.429 slash line with 11 home runs, 75 RBI, 64 runs scored and 17 stolen bases through 116 contests, putting him on pace for a career year across the board in his fourth big-league campaign.