Dbacks Recap and News

Gurriel went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored in Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

After starting his season 1-for-20 at the dish, Gurriel has gone 9-for-23 (.391) with a pair of doubles and three RBI in the six games since. Gurriel is slashing .233/.283/.279 with the two doubles, four RBI, three runs scored and a 3:8 BB:K across 46 trips to the plate since making his season debut April 18. He’s still looking for his first home run.

Kelly (1-3) took the loss Sunday against the Cubs, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts across 4.1 innings.

Kelly had the strikeout stuff working at Wrigley Field, but when he wasn’t getting whiffs, the Cubs were punishing the right-hander. Moises Ballesteros took Kelly deep in the third inning, and it was Kelly’s sixth homer allowed in four starts. After missing the first three weeks of the season, Kelly has limped to a 9.95 ERA and ugly 14:15 K:BB across 19 innings. He’s been tagged for 19 runs across 13.2 innings over his last three outings and will try to right the ship next weekend at home against the lowly Mets.

Del Castillo entered Sunday’s game as a pinch hitter and hit a two-run home run in an 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

Although Del Castillo homered for the second time in four games, his bat has been largely silent the last two weeks. He entered Sunday on a 3-for-29 (.103) run over the previous eight games. Del Castillo’s offense was the main factor in him landing a spot on the 26-man roster, and if he continues to roll along with a .222 average and .671 OPS, playing time could diminish. The club envisioned him being a DH with the possibility of playing some first base, but that was before both Ildemaro Vargas (1.063 OPS in 107 plate appearances) and Jose Fernandez (.775 in 97 PAs) became more reliable sources of offense.

Valdez was removed from the Diamondbacks‘ 40-man roster and outrighted to Double-A Amarillo on Sunday.

Valdez will remain with Arizona’s organization, but he will now drop down a level in the minor-league system. The 28-year-old had his contract selected by the Diamondbacks to serve as the team’s 27th man during the squad’s Mexico City Series against the Padres in late April, but he failed to appear in a contest before being optioned to Triple-A Reno on April 27.

Moreno batted seventh and went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

Moreno made his second start in three days since being activated off the injured list Friday. The homer was the first for the catcher, who had missed three weeks due to an oblique injury. Sunday was his first time batting in the lower third of the order after serving primarily as the team’s cleanup batter when previously healthy.