Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
- Recalled from Triple-A Reno: RHP Taylor Rashi
- Recalled from Triple-A Reno: INF Connor Kaiser
- Optioned to Reno: RHP Juan Burgos
- Placed on 10-day injured list: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (right ACL tear)
The season-ending injury to Gurriel brings Kaiser back onto the roster. As Preston noted elsewhere, there are basically very limited options. The only other position player on the 40-man roster, who is not explicitly on the IL or already on the 26-man roster is Tim Tawa and he hasn’t appeared for the Aces since July. He apparently suffered a fractured rib after being hit by a pitch on July 10, and a return at the end of the month proved a short one. Quite why he’s not listed as on the IL, I’m not sure – but regardless, it was either Kaiser or add someone to the 40-man roster.
The problem with the latter, is that the 60-day IL will expire at the end of the season. 40-man roster spots will then need to be found for the eight pitchers the Diamondbacks currently have there. Anyone taken off the 40-man roster will quite possibly be claimed by another team, so you don’t want to go adding players without knowing what’s going to happen to them down the road. It is true that someone like Kristian Robinson might be “better” than Kaiser. But given the D-backs are now playing out the string over these remaining 23 games, the long-term outlook is definitely more important.
