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One of the biggest stories for the 2018 Diamondbacks has been injuries and how they’ve piled up of late. Randall Delgado and Steven Souza have not spent a day on the active roster yet this season, the team got 2 starts out of Taijuan Walker before needing Tommy John surgery, 4 games out of Jake Lamb, and 5 starts out of Robbie Ray before he went out with an oblique. That hasn’t slowed down the team as they’ve started the season to a franchise-best 21-8 record.
OF Steven Souza Jr.
Even though for the first month of the year the injuries were a one-way street, the team may be getting reinforcements soon. Jack Magruder has good news on Souza, who strained a pectoral muscle on March 22nd making a diving catch in a Spring game against San Francisco.
#Dbacks Souza took 2 ABs, played 5 IP in the field in an extended game and stretched out to 150' playing catch. Lovullo: "He’s about as close as you can get.”
— Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder) May 3, 2018
Souza could end up returning to the team this weekend against the Houston Astros. The team originally acquired him along with pitching prospect Taylor Widener for 2B/3B Brandon Drury, LHP prospect Anthony Banda, and 2 PTBNL (AA LH reliever Colin Poche, A-Adv RH starter Sam McWilliams). Based on this tweet, Souza is raring to be able to contribute for the MLB team this year.
When your friends are having fun but you weren’t invited to the party. pic.twitter.com/J6E447HtnS
— Steven Souza Jr. (@SouzaJr) April 28, 2018
Randall Delgado
Delgado continues to receive setbacks in his rehab from elbow, oblique, and shoulder injuries, now needing a cortisone shot in his pitching shoulder. Delgado missed the last two months of the season to a flexor strain before a setback ended his season in September. The oblique issue seems to be behind Delgado, which is good news in that department, but the shoulder problem is definitely a concern. Obviously Delgado is going to need to show he can pitch healthy before the team activates him although the team can afford to not have to rush him with the best bullpen ERA in baseball coming into May 2nd.
Update 5/3/2018 9:44 AM: Souza has been activated from the 10-Day DL and 1B Christian Walker has been optioned to Reno. Souza will bat 5th against Alex Wood today.
#Dbacks reinstate OF Steven Souza Jr. from the 10-day disabled list.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 3, 2018
Following last night's game, the #Dbacks optioned INF Christian Walker to the Triple-A Reno @Aces.