The Diamondbacks selected the contract of first baseman Luken Baker on April 6 and placed Carlos Santana on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 6, because of a strained right adductor. Arizona also transferred outfielder Jordan Lawlar to the 60-day injured list to clear a 40-man roster spot for Baker.
Baker, who signed a minor league deal with Arizona in the offseason, had already been spotted with a locker in the clubhouse, as Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reported before the move. The 29-year-old has played only first base defensively, and the Diamondbacks are asking him to step into a spot that has been battered by injuries.
Arizona’s first-base depth has been hit particularly hard. Tyler Locklear is still recovering from October surgery after injuring his left elbow and shoulder late last year, Pavin Smith went on the injured list a few days into the season with left elbow inflammation, and Santana had been removed from a game a couple of days earlier because of groin discomfort. José Fernández and Ildemaro Vargas have each started at first base in recent days, while Adrian Del Castillo has made some starts at designated hitter.
Baker arrives with power numbers that explain why the Diamondbacks were willing to keep him close. From the start of 2023 to the present, he has hit 84 home runs in 1,284 Triple-A plate appearances and posted a.259/.371/.555 line with a 131 wRC+, along with a 23.5% strikeout rate and a 15% walk rate. His major league track record is lighter: over the past three years with the Cardinals, he produced a.206/.317/.338 line and an 87 wRC+ in 189 plate appearances. Against lefties in the majors, he has a.244/.357/.390 line and a 113 wRC+.
The roster shuffle also underscored how stretched Arizona has become. Lawlar was hit by a pitch and suffered a right wrist fracture, and manager Torey Lovullo said he would miss six to eight weeks. By moving him to the 60-day injured list, the club extended that timeline beyond the minimum and gained flexibility now, even though Lawlar can go on a minor league rehab assignment for up to 20 days if he is healthy before the 60 days are up. Baker is out of options, so the Diamondbacks will have to keep finding a place for his bat if he produces, especially with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. set to come off the injured list later.
For now, Arizona is betting that Baker’s right-handed power can help steady a position group that has been turned over by injuries. The next test is whether his bat travels fast enough to matter before the injured list starts emptying again.
