D-backs' Jake Lamb returns from disabled list
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday activated third baseman Jake Lamb from the 15-day disabled list before the D-backs faced the Mets.
Lamb's return from a stress reaction in his foot required Arizona to make a corresponding roster move and the D-backs designate for assignment utility man Jordan Pacheco.
Lamb, who was placed on the DL on April 21, is available to pinch-hit against the Mets. Yasmany Tomas starts at third base after making his first foray into right field on Friday. Lamb will start Sunday, manager Chip Hale said.
"I was a little surprised they called me up a day early but I'm excited, not upset about that at all," Lamb said. "I'm good to go. I've been telling them that a week now, but I understand the process.
"The only frustrating part, and I knew it was going to happen, was once I felt healthy and didn't feel anything. I understand the process, especially what happened last year with (Mark) Trumbo, you got to take these things slow."
Lamb spent two weeks in a walking boot and felt soreness a week or so after it came off, when he started working out again. That pushed back the team's original expected return date, but Lamb has now been pain free for nearly two weeks, he said.
The third baseman played three rehab games -- two at third and one as a designated hitter -- with Triple-A Reno, and other than general body soreness said he's ready to go.
"Defense was the big thing, and I got quite a few plays, balls right at me hit hard, choppers, I felt really good," Lamb said.
In extended spring and the minors, the bat looked like it did before Lamb's foot injury popped up. With the D-backs, he recorded seven RBI in the first two games of the 2015 season and in 10 games hit .414 with three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Pacheco had a .242 averag as a pinch-hitting option and was forced into backup catching duty because of an early-season injury to backup catcher Gerald Laird. After starting catcher Tuffy Gosewisch went down, the team bolstered its catching depth by adding Jarrod Saltalamacchia and then trading for Welington Castillo.
Hale said the team had to make the hard choice to designate Pacheco because it must retain 13 pitchers on the roster until the staff proves it can survive with 12.
"We put him on waivers and (we'll) see what happens," Hale said. "We'd love to have him back. As a manager, he's great for me because he gives me such flexibility within a game with his ability to catch. We just had to do something, we had to keep 13 pitchers at this point to get this bullpen to firing right. Tough for him, but at some point we want to go back to 13 position players and if he's still with us, he'll probably be a big consideration."
Hale added that reliever David Hernandez, who returned to Phoenix after a rehab assignment, will likely be activated Sunday, meaning another move must be made to open a roster spot.