The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Nolan Arenado to provide stability at third base this season. Arenado has been everything the club has hoped for offensively, slashing .271/.351/.459 with seven home runs and a 127 wRC+ at the plate.
However, the 35-year-old third baseman’s resurgent season has been put on hold. Arenado exited the Diamondbacks’ 7-4 win against the Giants and was replaced by Jose Fernandez. The injury was later revealed by the club as a right groin strain.
Nolan Arenado Suffers Groin Injury Amid All-Star Season
Arenado’s offensive resurgence has played a critical role in the Diamondbacks’ 30-24 start to the season. He’s been a steady middle-of-the-order bat and Arizona’s best run producer from the right side of the plate.
The expected metrics also show an improvement at the plate. He’s carrying a .268 xBA, .415 xSLG, and .335 xwOBA entering the season. Those three metrics rank in the 72nd, 59th, and 62nd percentiles among MLB hitters.
While his bat speed and average exit velocity have continued to decline, he’s offset that by walking more and optimizing launch angle contact. 38.5% of his batted balls are in the launch angle Sweet Spot range of 8 to 32 degrees.
By optimizing his launch angle contact, softly hit balls turn into singles and hard-hit balls turn into barrels. He has a career-low 31.1% hard-hit rate, but he is also producing a 6.7% barrel rate. While he might not have the power ceiling he had in his prime, he’s found a way to remain a productive hitter.
His 127 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR both rank second among qualified National League third basemen on FanGraphs. Only the Dodgers‘ Max Muncy, who has a 148 wRC+ and 2.3 fWAR, is higher in the two metrics.
In a weak season of third base play in the National League, Arenado had a solid chance of being named an All-Star. It would have been the ninth of a career that will end with a Cooperstown enshrinement.
Diamondbacks Options at Third Base with Nolan Arenado Sidelined
A groin strain is almost certain to put Arenado on the 10-day injured list. The 35-year-old is likely heading for further imaging to determine the extent of the injury and the possible timeline to return.
Arenado being out takes away a right-handed bat from the club. Now their top right-handed bat is Ryan Waldschmidt, who’s only been in the big leagues for two weeks. To the rookie’s credit, he’s provided an immediate impact. In his first 18 games, he’s producing a .317/.369/.433 slash and a 128 wRC+ across 66 plate appearances.
The Diamondbacks have two potential options at third base. They could either turn to the veteran Ildemaro Vargas or the rookie Jose Fernandez. The latter seems like a better choice, given that Vargas has assumed the everyday first base role and is hitting well.
That leaves utilityman Tim Tawa as the de facto designated hitter against left-handed pitchers. He’ll form a platoon at that spot with Adrian Del Castillo.
As for the potential corresponding roster move, the only healthy bat remaining on the 40-man roster is Tyler Locklear. Locklear just returned from offseason surgery to address his left shoulder and elbow, and is off to a slow start with Triple-A Reno. He’s hitting .190 with a .542 OPS.
If the club goes elsewhere for a bat, they’ll have to make an additional 40-man move. The Diamondbacks don’t have many options without exposing a player to waivers. Moving Carlos Santana to the 60-day injured list is one possibility. But with A.J. Puk, Jordan Lawlar, and Pavin Smith nearing a return, they will face a roster crunch.
Diamondbacks Star Infielder Suffers Injury Amid Resurgent Season