{"id":186164,"date":"2025-08-30T02:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T02:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/186164\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T02:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T02:30:12","slug":"how-diamondbacks-plan-to-use-jordan-lawlar-blaze-alexander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/186164\/","title":{"rendered":"How Diamondbacks plan to use Jordan Lawlar, Blaze Alexander"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

The Arizona Diamondbacks recalled top prospect Jordan Lawlar<\/a> on Friday and previewed how they intend to deploy him with their starting lineup.<\/p>\n

Lawlar received the start at third base, batting ninth<\/a> against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell. Blaze Alexander moved across the infield to second base, and Ketel Marte slotted in as the designated hitter.<\/p>\n

When the Diamondbacks traded third baseman Eugenio Suarez at the deadline, it appeared Lawlar would slide into his role at the hot corner once he recovered from a hamstring injury. Alexander, however, handled himself admirably in that spot, and the Diamondbacks took their time getting Lawlar healthy and in a rhythm back in Triple-A.<\/p>\n

Now that Lawlar is with the big league club, the Diamondbacks will have to manage playing time with a surplus of infielders.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be on the left side of the diamond,\u201d manager Torey Lovullo told Arizona Sports\u2019 Burns & Gambo where Lawlar will play. \u201cI had a discussion with (General manager Mike Hazen) about that and we felt very comfortable with him at short and third. \u2026 Blaze, we feel like we\u2019re gonna migrate him around the field. We\u2019re even gonna try Blaze in center field a little bit from time to time just see what that looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lovullo said to expect Lawlar, a right-handed hitter, to be in the lineup against every lefty. The club will mix-and-match a bit more against righties. The Diamondbacks will face a pair of tough right-handers this weekend in Los Angeles, with Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto probable for Saturday and Sunday, respectively.<\/p>\n

Lawlar has split time pretty evenly between third base, shortstop and second base with Triple-A Reno this season, spending between 170-179 innings at each spot. He had not played on the right side of the infield before this season, so the Diamondbacks will keep him where he has more experience.<\/p>\n

Alexander has exclusively played third base since Suarez was traded to Seattle, and he\u2019s graded out well with three outs above average<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s played over 200 innings at second base in the majors, plus he got his feet wet with 88 innings in center field earlier this season in Reno. With Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy as the two center fielders on the roster, Alexander would present a right-handed option to platoon in that spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very left-handed in the outfield, and we just want as many options as possible on that given day where we\u2019re facing a tough lefty like Blake Snell,\u201d Lovullo said. \u201cTrying to maximize Blaze\u2019s potential to move around the diamond, we feel like that\u2019s gonna be his niche.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marte has 81 starts this year at second base and 15 as the designated hitter, a number that should climb in September with options to spell him defensively. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, meanwhile, has been a lineup mainstay with 134 of Arizona\u2019s 135 games played.<\/p>\n

When Lawlar came up earlier this season, the playing time was a sporadic with Suarez still anchoring third base. Lawlar struggled, particularly at the plate with an 0-for-19 stretch.<\/p>\n

He rejoins a team that is younger with several players in a similar camp, looking to find answers in the major leagues and auditioning for next season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got 18, 19, maybe more young players making at or around major league minimum, still cutting their teeth,\u201d Lovullo said. \u201cWe love that. It\u2019s up to us to figure out how to get the most out of him. So it\u2019s gonna be very important for him to get these reps. Very important for him to get these at-bats to figure out where he is and where his development is at right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

What will Diamondbacks 1B Tyler Locklear\u2019s playing time look like?<\/p>\n

Lawlar replaced first baseman Pavin Smith on the roster, as the D-backs put Smith on the 10-day injured list with a quad strain.<\/p>\n

Smith had been platooning with rookie Tyler Locklear, who came over in the Suarez trade from Seattle. With Smith down, Locklear is primed for more reps.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aI just had this long conversation with him about what his role is gonna be, but at the very end \u2014 I always kind of cover my tracks because things change in a hurry \u2014 I said don\u2019t worry about what\u2019s happening day-by-day because tomorrow could be a completely different menu,\u201d Lovullo said. \u201cSo as Pavin pulls up the other day and comes out of the game, I just looked at (Locklear) and I said, \u2018Do you see what I\u2019m talking about?\u2019 And he goes, \u2018I\u2019ll be ready. I\u2019m ready to go right now.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Lovullo said Locklear\u2019s role has changed from playing against lefties to facing lefties and some righties. Utility infielder Ildemaro Vargas has limited experience at first base, as does catcher James McCann.<\/p>\n

Locklear has yet to find a footing at the plate with a .529 OPS entering Friday. He nearly homered on Thursday, but Milwaukee center fielder Blake Perkins climbed the wall to take it away.<\/p>\n

Follow @alexjweiner<\/a><\/p>\n

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