Diamondbacks want Peter O'Brien to keep working at Triple-A
MILWAUKEE – Manager Chip Hale said he has received good reports on prospect Peter O'Brien's development with Triple-A Reno but said the club did not call on him to replace the injured Tuffy Gosewisch in large part because of a belief he needs more time behind the plate.
"He's getting it, but he needs to catch more," Hale said. "He's just started to catch again and we want to see him catch a bunch and get comfortable doing it. We just felt like at this point, Salty (Jarrod Saltalamacchia) was the guy we needed to have here."
With O'Brien, there seem to be few questions about his bat. He might be playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but he has been perhaps the league's best hitter, ranking first in both average (.345) and OPS (1.036).
But his defensive chops have been a lingering question for years. Scouts have long had doubts about his ability to catch, and those concerns were only amplified when O'Brien developed throwing problems during spring training, issues that were bad enough to compel the Diamondbacks to shift him to the outfield for the first month of the season.
The organization put him back behind the plate this month but only sporadically, and Hale said everything he has heard suggests O'Brien is handling the position well. The sample size is small since he's only played 10 behind the plate, but O'Brien has thrown out 40 percent of attempted basestealers.
Injury updates
Right-hander David Hernandez threw on Wednesday and Thursday for Double-A Mobile, tossing a scoreless inning in each appearance, and Hale said the plan now is for Hernandez to work on back-to-back games once more before a possible return.
Hale said Hernandez will take three days off before pitching again on Monday and Tuesday, then will need three days off again, at which point he could be activated from the disabled list.
Hernandez hasn't pitched in the majors since the 2013 season; he missed all of last year following elbow surgery.
Hale said the club has a rehab schedule mapped out for third baseman Jake Lamb (foot) that includes minor-league games through approximately June 12, meaning that would likely be the earliest he could return.
Catcher Oscar Hernandez, who was shifted to the 60-day disabled list in order to create a 40-man roster spot for Saltalamacchia, is not expected to return until the middle of June, at the earliest, Hale said.
Left-hander Patrick Corbin threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session on Thursday, but Hale was not sure when he would throw again. The club has now given him more than 10 days of rest after he did not look sharp in his most recent start at extended spring training.
Saturday's game
Diamondbacks at Brewers
When: 1:10 p.m.
Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee.
Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-3, 5.33) vs. Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (3-5, 5.80).
TV/Radio: Fox Sports 1/KMVP-FM (98.7), KSUN-AM (1400).
Hellickson has allowed a 3.55 ERA (five earned runs in 12 2/3 innings) in his past two starts, an improvement from the 5.92 ERA he posted through his first seven outings. … Hellickson is faring far better against righties (.229 average) than lefties (.357). … Batters leading off the first inning are 5 for 9 with two doubles against Hellickson this season. … Lohse had a 3.28 ERA over the past four years but he is off to a poor start this season. … He gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings in his most recent outing but thrown well in back-to-back starts prior to that. … In 13 starts against the Diamondbacks in his career, Lohse has a 4.46 ERA.
Coming up
Sunday: At Milwaukee, 11:10 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Chase Anderson (1-1, 2.59) vs. Brewers RHP Tyler Wagner (5-1, 2.01)*.
Monday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley (2-2, 5.28) vs. Braves LHP Alex Wood (3-2, 3.50).
Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (3-5, 5.05) vs. Braves RHP Shelby Miller (5-2, 1.48).
*Denotes stats from Double-A