The New York Yankees will face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night in the opening game of a weekend series at Chase Field. According to the source, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo has made notable roster adjustments ahead of the matchup.
Right fielder Corbin Carroll has been dropped to the No. 7 spot in the lineup, marking his lowest position since Aug. 30, 2024. The move comes as Carroll has struggled significantly at the plate over the past month. Since Aug. 24, Carroll is hitting .147 with a slugging percentage of .293, adding three walks and 27 strikeouts across 82 plate appearances, according to the article. Lovullo acknowledged that “Corbin is grinding right now” and explained the decision as an opportunity for the young player to “catch his breath” and relieve some pressure, noting that Carroll had previously occupied top-three spots all season before dropping to the No. 5 spot two weeks ago.
First baseman Pavin Smith is moving up to the No. 5 spot in the lineup. Smith recently rejoined the team from Triple-A Reno and had a home run, single, and deep fly ball in Wednesday’s loss to the Marlins.
The Diamondbacks also rearranged their starting rotation for the series. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been moved up a day to start Friday, while right-hander Brandon Pfaadt has been pushed back to Saturday. Lovullo cited multiple reasons for the change, including having Rodriguez pitch on Friday and then again on Sept. 23 in Colorado, which would position him to potentially pitch in relief on Sunday in San Diego and be available to start a potential wild-card playoff game.
Rodriguez carries a 15-6 record with a 2.62 ERA into Friday’s game. He recently gave up six runs in 5⅓ innings against the Rangers, though he had posted a 1.96 ERA across six consecutive starts before that. Rodriguez has faced the Yankees 25 times in his career, posting a 3.80 ERA.
The Yankees will counter with right-hander Gerrit Cole, who holds an 8-9 record and 3.67 ERA. Cole is in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, with 117 strikeouts in 115⅓ innings across 20 starts. Cole has faced the Diamondbacks six times in his career with a 1.96 ERA, though not since 2018.
Key facts
- Corbin Carroll dropped to No. 7 in the Diamondbacks lineup, his lowest position since Aug. 30, 2024
- Since Aug. 24, Carroll is hitting .147 with 27 strikeouts in 82 plate appearances
- Eduardo Rodriguez moved up to start Friday against Gerrit Cole
- Rodriguez has a 15-6 record and 2.62 ERA; Cole has an 8-9 record and 3.67 ERA
- The game begins at 6:40 p.m. at Chase Field